Spinal Neoplasms (Subscribe)  

From Neurosurg Focus. 2006;20(2):E2. Posted 03/28/2006
Daniel R. Fassett, M.D., M.B.A.; Randy Clark, M.S.; Douglas L. Brockmeyer, M.D.; Meic H. Schmidt, M.D.
Abstract Postoperative sagittal-plane cervical spine deformities are a concern when laminectomy is performed for tumor resection in the spinal cord. These deformities appear to occur more commonly after resection of...

Isolated posterior and combined anterior and posterior element involvement LCH in children Abstract Paper No: 418 Friday, March 24, 2006 12:06 PM - 12:12 PM Location: McCormick Place S501 Harish Sadanand Hosalkar, MD Philadelphia PA (n) Lubica Jencikova-celerin, MD,PhD London ON Canada (n) John P Dormans, MD Philadelphia PA (n) Moderator(s):...

Clinical presentation: A 60 year old man with increasing weakness in the legs.
The contrast views are oblique views of the cervical spine. The contrast is asymmetrical in the left hand image. The cord is displaced by a lesion, which is compressing the contrast in the sub-arachnoid space. The appearance is of...

Brief notes and links to images for ARRS members

Chordoma is a relatively rare malignant midline tumor arising in the axial skeleton, primarily at its cranial and caudal ends, that is derived from persistent embryonic notochordal cell rests.

4 synonyms or equivalents were found. Chordoma aka/or Notochordoma aka/or Chordocarcinoma aka/or Chordoepithelioma
Chordoma: Definition(s) via UMLS - "A malignant bone tumor arising from the remnants of the fetal notochord. Although it can occur at all ages, it is more frequently seen in middle-aged adults. Most frequent sites of involvement are: sacrococcygeal area, spheno-occipital area, and the cervico-thoraco-lumbar...

Chordomas are rare, clinically malignant tumors derived from notochordal remnants. They occur along the length of the spinal axis, predominantly in the sphenooccipital, vertebral, and sacrococcygeal regions. They are characterized by slow growth, local destruction of bone, extension into adjacent soft tissues, and, rarely, distant metastatic spread.

Chordomas are thought to arise from primitive notochordal remnants in the axial skeleton. For this reason, chordomas universally present in a central, axial-based location, most often anteriorly. The cumulative case count published in The Burden of Musculoskeletal Disease (AAOS) identified 2,339 chordomas over a period of twenty...

Chordoma Pre-test and tutorial Frank J. Frassica, MD Professor of Orthopaedics & Oncology Johns Hopkins University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Baltimore, Maryland Franklin H. Sim, MD Chief, Section of Orthopedic Oncology Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota Section of Orthopedics Hyperguide

Contents - Introduction Differentials Radiograph CT Scan MRI Intervention Multimedia References
Chordomas are tumors originating from embryonic remnants of the primitive notochord. Because chordomas lie in bone, they are usually extradural and induce bone destruction.

Brief Notes - Clinical, Xrays, Pathology, Treatment, Prognosis

Clinical presentation: 69 year old woman with back pain and pain and left 'sciatica'.
There is a destructive process in the sacrum, which has displaced fragments of bone density. Their distribution suggests a soft tissue process with its centre of radius in the middle of the sacrum.

Discussion: - rare, slow growing tumor arising from remnants of the notochord in axial skeleton of middle aged adults; - most occur in midline at base of skull and in the sacrococcygeal area ...

six cases of clival chordoma. MRI is the best technique, but CT shows bone destruction. Signs include posterior extension, lobulated, "honeycomb" enhancement, "swollen bone", bone erosion.

Mature adult male with weakness in both legs. The view shows a myelogram after cervical injection of contrast, probably iodinated oil. This undocumented case in our museum dates from before the days of CT scanning. The contrast was introduced by insertion of a needle under fluoscopic control into the cervical theca...