Schwannomas of the upper extremity: diagnosis and treatment.

Schwannomas are the most common benign tumors developing in peripheral nerves. They account for 5% of all tumors in upper extremity. They usually present as a slow-growing mass, sometimes associated to pain and paresthesia. Preoperative evaluation is based on US and MRI, but final diagnosis requires histopathology. The aim of this study is to define clinical findings and MRI characteristics in identification, localization, and possible differential diagnosis of schwannomas.