Session 1: Understanding Acoustic Neuroma – Physiology, Symptoms & Treatment Pathways
In this opening session, Dr. Ivan Radovanovic will provide a comprehensive, clinically grounded overview of acoustic neuroma, linking tumour biology, neuroanatomy, symptom development, and treatment pathways. He will outline the origin and rarity of acoustic neuroma, including distinctions between sporadic cases and those associated with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), before translating complex neuroanatomy into clinically meaningful concepts. Using clear, accessible explanations, he will describe how tumour growth can affect key brain structures such as the cerebellum, pons, and brainstem, and how this gives rise to vestibular, auditory, facial, ocular, and brainstem-related symptoms. The session will also introduce a high-level framework for management, including observation, radiosurgery, and surgical resection, and briefly review surgical approaches and key decision-making considerations to set the stage for later case-based discussions.
About Dr. Radovanovic
Dr. Ivan Radovanovic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto and a neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network (UHN). He completed his medical degree and neurosurgery training in Geneva, Switzerland, followed by advanced fellowship training in neuro-oncology/skull base and cerebrovascular surgery at Toronto Western Hospital. He previously served as staff neurosurgeon at Geneva University Hospitals before joining UHN in 2013. His clinical interests include cerebrovascular disease and brain tumours, with an emphasis on minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques. His research program within the Toronto Western Neurovascular Group (Krembil Brain Institute) focuses on the molecular and developmental biology of vascular malformations and brain tumours.
