Telltale signs of peripheral neurogenic tumors on magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Peripheral nerve sheath tumors are categorized into benign and malignant forms, comprising of neurofibroma and schwannoma in the benign category and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors in the malignant category. Magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of these lesions. The various imaging features and signs that help to identify and characterize a nerve sheath tumor are, distribution of the tumor along a major nerve, an entering or exiting nerve sign, target sign, a fascicular sign and a split-fat sign.

Keywords

• magnetic resonance imaging
• neurofibroma
• schwannoma
• target sign