Soft tissue, Schwannoma

A Schwannoma is an encapsulated, benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour. They typically occur in adults and in the superficial soft tissues of the head, neck and extremities. Microscopically, the tumour forms a well-circumscribed, nodular mass with a fibrous capsule.There are variable amounts of admixed Antoni A areas (spindle cells in short or interconnecting fascicles, loosely or tightly formed) and Antoni B areas (spindled cells within a loose edematous or myxoid matrix with cystic change and inflammatory cells). Antoni A areas may have characteristic nuclear palisading as well as Verocay bodies (seen here) which are compact palisading nuclei separated by fibrillary processes. Bilateral vestibular schwannomas should raise the suspicion for neurofibromatosis, type 2.