Hybrid schwannoma-neurofibroma of the upper cervical spine: illustrative case and systematic review of spinal hybrid nerve sheath tumors.
Halit Alioğlu, Omar Alomari, Ahmet Rafil Varrak et al.
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Case in brief
A 25-year-old male presented with progressive cervical and left shoulder pain, along with intermittent numbness. MRI revealed a dumbbell-shaped intradural extramedullary lesion at the C1-2 level causing cervical cord compression. The lesion was surgically resected, and histopathology confirmed a hybrid schwannoma-neurofibroma. The patient remained neurologically intact without recurrence at 20-month follow-up.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Hybrid peripheral nerve sheath tumors can present with nonspecific radiological features, making preoperative diagnosis challenging; histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis is essential for confirmation.
Why it matters
Understanding the characteristics of hybrid schwannoma-neurofibroma can aid in the accurate diagnosis and management of these rare spinal tumors, which may otherwise be misidentified.