Schwannoma of the sternum.

A primary sternal tumor is rare, and it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. We herein report a case of intraosseous schwannoma of the sternum, which was associated with various difficulties in regard to making an accurate preoperative diagnosis. A 38-year-old woman underwent a surgical resection for a sternal tumor. Preoperative radiologic images showed a well-defined, dumbbell-shaped and solid nodule in her sternum. However, a definitive diagnosis could not be obtained before the operation. The pathologic findings of the resected specimen revealed schwannoma, Antoni type A. No recurrence has been observed during her postoperative course. Copyright (c) 2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.