Table 1 Demographics and MRI of 16 meningioma and 17 schwannoma patients under 3 cm

Demographic features

 Sex, Male

2 (12.5)

5 (29.4)

0.398

Age

46.38 ± 14.98 (5–65)

50.06 ± 13.56 (29–82)

0.736

Sign and symptom

 Blurred vision

7 (43.75)

6 (35.29)

0.728

 Facial numbness or pain

6 (37.5)

12 (70.59)

0.084

Surgical outcome

0.032

 Total or subtotal removal

7 (43.8)

17 (100)

 Partial removal or biopsy

9 (56.2)

0 (0)

Recurrence (years)

 1

2 (12.5)

0 (0)

0.484

 3

3 (30)

0 (0)

0.211

Survival

16 (100)

17 (100)

1

Follow-up period (years)

 1

16 (100)

15 (88.2)

0.485

 3

10 (62.5)

9 (52.9)

0.728

MRI features

 Tumor size (cm)

2.2 ± 0.7 (1.1–3.0)

2.2 ± 0.7 (0.5–3.0)

0.929

 Tumor side (left)

7 (43.75)

10 (58.82)

0.494

Signal intensity

T1

0.485

Hyperintensity

1 (6.25)

0 (0)

Hypointensity

15 (93.75)

17 (100)

T1 + C

Contrast enhancement

16 (100)

17 (100)

1

T2

0.688

Hyperintensity

12 (75)

14 (82.35)

Hypointensity

4 (25)

3 (17.65)

DWI/ADC

Restricted diffusion

9 (56.25)

3 (17.65)

0.032

ADCmin—10⁻⁶ mm²/s

820.575 ± 302.545 (86.1–1144.4)

1372.424 ± 561.337 (355.7–2616.6)

 < 0.001

ADC—Tumor/contralateral white matter ratio

1.246 ± 0.234 (0.885–1.678)

1.683 ± 0.576 (0.497–3.089)

 < 0.001

DWI—Tumor/contralateral white matter ratio

1.392 ± 0.364 (0.891–2.36)

0.829 ± 0.352 (0.299–1.801)

 < 0.001

Tumor morphology

 Dural tail sign

8 (50)

0 (0)

 < 0.001

 Dumbbell shape

3 (18.75)

5 (29.41)

0.688

 Cystic change

0 (0)

9 (52.94)

 < 0.001

Masticatory muscle change

 Tumor side (mm)

6.65 ± 1.74 (2.6–9.0)

5.85 ± 1.36 (4.2–10.4)

0.025

 Contralateral side (mm)

6.54 ± 2.04 (1.4–8.7)

6.68 ± 1.6 (5.0–10.5)

0.326

 Atrophy change (%)^*

 − 6.71 ± 22.43 (− 85.71–13.79)

11.24 ± 11.98 (− 14–38)

 < 0.001