a slow-growing benign tumour arising on one of the *vestibular nerves. It is also known as an acoustic neuroma, but this is a misnomer as the tumour arises from *Schwann cells rather than nerve cells and on a vestibular nerve rather than the cochlear (acoustic) nerve. Symptoms include hearing loss, tinnitus, and imbalance and there is an increased prevalence of the tumour in patients who have *neurofibromatosis type II. Diagnosis is by MRI scan and treatment is not always required. In those cases where treatment is necessary, this may be by surgery, radiotherapy, or *gamma knife.... vestibular schwannoma
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