A case of schwannoma of pancreatic body and tail

Abstract

A 58-year-old female examined for liver disfunction was found on ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) to have a 5∼6 cm long solid mass with a well-defined capsule in the body and tail of the pancreas. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed no marked change in the main pancreatic duct. Angiography showed partial tumor vascularization with the splenic artery as the feeder. Collateral veins had formed due to oppressive obstruction of the splenic vein. We preoperatively diagnosed her condition as a neurogenic tumor from the retroperitonium or pancreas. During surgery we found a solid tumor with a well-defined capsule in the pancreas, removed by distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Microscopic examination showed a benign schwannoma with Antoni A-type cells. Nonepithelial tumors of the pancreas are very rare. Only 14 cases by pancreatic schwannoma including ours are reported previously in the Japanese literature.