Chondrosarcoma of the hyoid bone: A diagnostic pitfall in the submandibular region

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant chondroid matrix-producing neoplasm which usually presents in the bones of the pelvis, followed by the proximal femur, proximal humerus, distal femur and ribs. The occurrence of this lesion in the hyoid bone is exceedingly rare, with only a few reported cases, and its diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in this particular location, to our knowledge, has never been addressed. Furthermore, the sampling of chondroid matrix at this site can pose a diagnostic dilemma with other lesions of the submandibular region. This report describes the clinical, radiologic and cytologic features on FNAC of a chondrosarcoma of the hyoid bone, emphasizing the diagnostic pitfalls of this entity and expanding the cytologic differential diagnosis of tumors of the submandibular region.