Clivus Chordoma in Continuity with a Large Pontine Cyst

ABSTRACT

Chordomas are tumors commonly of extradural origin associated with bone destruction; their central nervous system invasion has rarely been reported. The authors describe a rare case of a 37-year-old man presenting with a clivial chordoma invading the brainstem with a large pontine cyst. A median suboccipital approach was selected to remove the tumor.

Chordoma - skull base - cyst - clivus

REFERENCES

• 1 Arnold H, Herrmann H D. Skull base chordoma with cavernous sinus involvement. Partial or radical tumour removal?.  Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1987;  83 31-37
• 2 Handa J, Suzuki F, Nioka H, Koyama T. Clivus chordoma in childhood.  Surg Neurol. 1987;  28 58-62
• 3 Rich T A, Schiller A, Suit H D, Mankin H J. Clinical and pathologic review of 48 cases of chordoma.  Cancer. 1985;  56 182-187
• 4 Heffelfinger M J, Dahlin D C, MacCarty C S, Beabout J W. Chordomas and cartilaginous tumors at the skull base.  Cancer. 1973;  32 410-420
• 5 Nishigaya K, Kaneko M, Ohashi Y, Nukui H. Intradural retroclival chordoma without bone involvement: no tumor regrowth 5 years after operation. Case report.  J Neurosurg. 1998;  88 764-768
• 6 Katayama Y, Tsubokawa T, Hirasawa T. Intradural extraosseous chordoma in the foramen magnum region. Case report.  J Neurosurg. 1991;  75 976-979
• 7 Korinth M, Schönrock L, Mayfrank L, Gilsbach J M. Primary intradural pontocerebellar chordoma metastasizing in the subarachnoid spinal canal.  Zentralbl Neurochir. 1999;  60 146-150
• 8 Mapstone T B, Kaufman B, Ratcheson R A. Intradural chordoma without bone involvement: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) appearance. Case report.  J Neurosurg. 1983;  59 535-537
• 9 Wolfe III J T, Scheithauer B W. “Intradural chordoma” or “giant ecchordosis physaliphora”? Report of two cases.  Clin Neuropathol. 1987;  6 98-103
• 10 Samii A, Gerganov V M, Herold C et al.. Chordomas of the skull base: surgical management and outcome.  J Neurosurg. 2007;  107 319-324
• 11 Crockard H A, Steel T, Plowman N et al.. A multidisciplinary team approach to skull base chordomas.  J Neurosurg. 2001;  95 175-183
• 12 Hug E B, Slater J D. Proton radiation therapy for chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base.  Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2000;  11 627-638
• 13 Ng S H, Ko S F, Wan Y L, Tang L M, Ho Y S. Cervical ecchordosis physaliphora: CT and MR features.  Br J Radiol. 1998;  71 329-331
• 14 Abdelkhalek H B, Beckers A, Schuster-Gossler K et al.. The mouse homeobox gene Not is required for caudal notochord development and affected by the truncate mutation.  Genes Dev. 2004;  18 1725-1736
• 15 Warnick R E, Raisanen J, Kaczmar Jr T, Davis R L, Prados M D. Intradural chordoma of the tentorium cerebelli. Case report.  J Neurosurg. 1991;  74 508-511
• 16 Erdem E, Angtuaco E C, Van Hemert R, Park J S, Al-Mefty O. Comprehensive review of intracranial chordoma.  Radiographics. 2003;  23 995-1009
• 17 Doucet V, Peretti-Viton P, Figarella-Branger D, Manera L, Salamon G. MRI of intracranial chordomas: extent of tumour and contrast enhancement: criteria for differential diagnosis.  Neuroradiology. 1997;  39 571-576
• 18 Kendall B E. Cranial chordomas.  Br J Radiol. 1977;  50 687-698
• 19 Goel A. Middle fossa sub-Gasserian ganglion approach to clivus chordomas.  Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1995;  136 212-216
• 20 Oikawa S, Kyoshima K, Goto T et al.. Histological study on local invasiveness of clival chordoma. Case report of autopsy.  Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2001;  143 1065-1069
• 21 Nakau R, Kamiyama H, Kazumata K, Andou M. Subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with clival chordoma—case report.  Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 2003;  43 605-607
• 22 Steenberghs J, Kiekens C, Menten J, Monstrey J. Intradural chordoma without bone involvement. Case report and review of the literature.  J Neurosurg. 2002;  97(1, suppl) 94-97
• 23 Jallo J, Nathan D, Bierbrauer K, Farber E. Chordoma: a case report.  Surg Neurol. 1997;  48 46-48
• 24 Doglietto F, Sabatino G, Pallini R. Clivus chordoma associated with a pontine arachnoid cyst.  Lancet Oncol. 2005;  6 536