How are facial neuromas diagnosed?

[Boppie]

In patients with no hearing loss symptoms, how does the doctor know a person has a facial neuroma?  Does he use an MRI? CT scan?

[jamie]

I think trigeminal nerve schwannomas are diagnosed both through symptoms, and MRI images. The trigeminal nerve is located higher than the vestibular nerve, and while it's hard for us patents to tell the difference on MRI's, professionals usually can. Also facial neuromas tend to cause facial pain as the first symptom, then as they grow, they can affect the vestibular and cochlear nerves, causing AN like symptoms. At least that's how I understand it.