Imaging of facial nerve schwannomas: diagnostic pearls and potential pitfalls

Schwannomas are uncommon in the facial nerve and account for less than 1% of tumors of temporal bone. They can involve one or more than one segment of the facial nerve. The clinical presentations and the imaging appearances of facial nerve schwannomas are influenced by the topographical anatomy of the facial nerve and vary according to the segment(s) they involve. This pictorial essay illustrates the imaging features of facial nerve schwannomas according to their various anatomical locations and also reviews the pertinent differential diagnoses and potential diagnostic pitfalls.