Ultrasound Examination Facilitated the Diagnosis of an Intercostal Schwannoma

Abstract

Ultrasound imaging is known for its capability in scrutinizing superficial soft tissue disorders. We report a rare case of a 71-year-old male who presented with a history of rectal cancer with lymph node metastasis and had complete remission after surgery and chemotherapy. He had a palpable mass over the right anterior lower chest, which became gradually painful in the recent six months. Ultrasound facilitated the diagnosis of an intercostal schwannoma, which was also evident on magnetic resonance imaging and was confirmed by the histopathological study. Following the tumor excision, the patient had complete pain relief at the second-month follow-up. The case report highlighted the usefulness of ultrasound in clarification of the exact location of a chest wall tumor in relation to ribs, pleura, adjacent muscles, and intercostal neurovascular bundles as well as delineation of its echotexture and internal vascularity.

Native mitral valve infective endocarditis: a significant contribution of 3d-transthoracic echocardiography

“…Typically, it exhibits an ovoid shape and varying echogenicity, which corresponds to the degree of tissue degeneration within the lesion. A distinguishing feature for diagnosis is the eccentric reciprocal position of the mass relative to the associated nerve [3,4]. In this particular case, high-resolution ultrasound proved valuable in visualizing both the lateral branch of the iliohypogastric nerve and the accompanying Schwannoma.…”