Laryngeal chondrometaplasia: a great mimic of chondrosarcoma

Chondrometaplasia of larynx is a rare entity with an unknown etiopathogenesis. The lesion remains asymptomatic unless it reaches a large size and a history of trauma is usually elicited. It is a known pitfall in diagnostic evaluation and a clinically significant differential considered in evaluation of cartilaginous tumors of the larynx. A 66-year-old man presented with a nodular mass of right side of neck, progressive hoarseness of voice and pain, and a suspicious growth in the right glottic region. A CT followed by an MRI one month later revealed a slow growing ill defined thickening and enhancement of the supraglottic soft tissues, predominantly involving the submucosa, along the greater cornu on the left side of the thyroid cartilage, with extra-chondral enhancement and was suggested to be of infectious etiology. On neck exploration a lesion clinically suspected to be a chondrosarcoma was excised along with the right ala of the thyroid cartilage. The tissue processed entirely, revealed features consistent with chondrometaplasia of larynx. The importance of distinguishing this lesion from cartilaginous tumors is emphasized.