Chondroblastoma-like chondroma of soft tissue: an underrecognized variant and its differential diagnosis

Soft-tissue chondromas are usually composed entirely of mature hyaline cartilage. Infrequently, however, they may exhibit morphologic features that result in diagnostic difficulty. The authors report a series of eight hypercellular soft-tissue chondromas composed of enlarged chondrocytes within a variable amount of chondroid matrix that often demonstrated delicate calcifications and contained numerous osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells. This histologic appearance closely resembles that of chondroblastoma of bone. However, its extraosseous location, dense cellularity, and poorly formed cartilage can cause confusion with more aggressive chondroid neoplasms of soft tissue. The clinicopathologic features of these chondroblastoma-like chondromas are discussed, emphasizing the characteristics that facilitate their accurate identification.