Melanotic neoplasm of the central nervous system is rare and the majority of them are metastatic. Melanotic schwannoma (MS) is an unusual variant of nerve sheath neoplasm accounting for less than 1% of primary nerve sheath tumors. A case involving a 36-year-old man with MS at the L5 root is presented. Surgery, differential diagnosis, radiology, histology, and treatment of this rare entity are discussed.
FariaMHGDorita-NettoRHOsugueGJ. Melanotic schwannoma of the cervical spine progressing with pulmonary metastasis: case report. Neurol Med Chir2013; 53: 712–726.
2.
SmithABRushingEJSmirniotopoulosJG. Pigmented lesions of the central nervous system: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics2009; 29: 1503–1524.
HodsonJJ. An intra-osseous tumor combination of biological importance-invasion of a melanotic schwannoma by an adamantinoma. J Pathol Bacteriol1961; 82: 257–266.
6.
ShieldsLBGlassmanSDRaqueGH. Malignant psammomatous melanotic schwannoma of the spine: a component of Carney complex. Surg Neurol Int2011; 2: 136.
7.
Vallat-DecouvelaereAVWassefMLotG. Spinal melanotic schwannoma: a tumor with poor prognosis. Histopathology1999; 35: 558–566.
CarneyJAStratakisCA. Epitheloid blue nevus and psammomatous melanotic schwannoma. Semin Diagn Pathol1998; 15: 216–224.
11.
ZhangHYYangGHChenHJ. Clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study of 13 cases with melanotic schwannoma. Chin Med J2005; 118: 1451–1461.
12.
Martin-ReayDGShuttuckMCGuthrieFWJr. Psammomatous melanotic schwannoma. Am J Clin Pathol1991; 95: 484–489.
