[Evolution of vestibular schwannoma: radiological evaluation]

Objective evaluation of natural history of vestibular schwannomas can be performed based on the modern radiological investigations, mainly MR. This study included 7 vestibular schwannomas. The average observation period was 28 months. Tumor growth was calculated based on the comparison of volume on the first and subsequent MR image using a special dedicated software. All tumors in this study were growing. The average growth rate was 143 mm3/month. Among 7 primarily observed tumors, 4 schwannomas were already removed surgically. The remaining 3 tumors are still observed. The authors pointed out that longer were the radiological observations of vestibular schwannomas greater was the conviction about progression of majority of these tumors.