A giant schwannoma of the retroperitoneum extending to the thorax

Schwannoma is an uncommon neoplasm deriving from the peripheral nerve sheath. Although schwannomas are usually found in cranial and peripherial nerves, they can rarely occur in the retroperitoneum. In this case report, we present a 70-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital complaining of shortness of breath. She was referred to computed tomography (CT) for thoracoabdominal examination which revealed a giant retroperitoneal mass compressing the left hemidiaphragm and lung and displacing the spleen and aorta. For further evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed and the mass showed close relationship to the 9th thoracic vertebra from where it was extending to the spinal canal through the left neural foramen. This led us to consider a neurogenic tumor in the differential diagnosis. The patient underwent true-cut biopsy and the histopathological examination revealed a schwannoma as the final diagnosis. The patient was then operated and a complete excision of the tumor was performed.