Screening for vestibular schwannoma: magnetic resonance imaging findings and management

We report the contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRIg) findings from a series of 1139 patients who underwent screening to exclude a diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma. An acoustico-facial nerve bundle tumour was found in 3.1 per cent of patients imaged and vestibular schwannoma incidence is estimated at 1.4 per 100,000 population per annum. MRIg showed an abnormality in 14 per cent of patients; about one third of the findings may have accounted for the presenting symptom(s). A small number of patients had unexpected pathology revealed that required onward referral for further active management.