A 30-year-old man presents with progressive unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. MRI shows an extra-axial mass at the cerebellopontine angle widening the internal auditory canal. His younger sister had similar surgery on the opposite side two years ago. Histology would most likely show which feature?
- A Rosenthal fibers and eosinophilic granular bodies
- B Psammoma bodies within meningothelial whorls
- C Antoni A areas with Verocay bodies ✓
- D Staghorn-pattern thin-walled vessels with pericytic proliferation
Correct answer: C. Antoni A areas with Verocay bodies
Explanation
The clinical picture suggests bilateral vestibular schwannomas, diagnostic of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2 gene on chromosome 22). Schwannomas show biphasic architecture: cellular Antoni C areas containing Verocay bodies, which are palisades of nuclei surrounding anuclear eosinophilic zones, alternating with loose myxoid Antoni B areas. Psammoma bodies suggest meningioma, Rosenthal fibers indicate pilocytic astrocytoma, and staghorn vessels are typical of hemangiopericytoma-like solitary fibrous tumor.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.