ENT · Facial Nerve (Anatomy, Disorders, Acoustic Neuroma)

Histopathological examination of an excised vestibular schwannoma shows densely cellular areas composed of spindle cells whose nuclei palisade around acellular zones. Which finding is being described?

  • A Whorled meningothelial whorls with psammoma bodies
  • B Antoni B pattern with myxoid degeneration
  • C Antoni A pattern with Verocay bodies
  • D Rosenthal fibres with biphasic piloid architecture
Correct answer: C. Antoni A pattern with Verocay bodies

Explanation

Vestibular schwannomas show a biphasic pattern: Antoni C areas are compact spindle-cell regions where nuclei line up in palisades forming Verocay bodies, and Antoni B areas are loose, hypocellular and myxoid. The tumour is strongly S-100 positive, confirming Schwann cell origin. Psammomatous whorls indicate meningioma, and Rosenthal fibres with piloid architecture indicate pilocytic astrocytoma, both relevant CPA differentials but histologically distinct here.

Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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