Cytodiagnosis of Sacral Chordoma

We report the cytological findings of a sacro-coccygeal chordoma in a 53 year male diagnosed preoperatively by guided fine needle aspiration cytology. The smears shows characteristic Physalliphorous cells in a metachromatic background of myxoid material entrapping cords of cuboidal cells. Differential diagnosis in cytology include conventional and myxoid chondrosarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma(MFH), metastatic mucinous carcinoma and myxo-papillary ependymoma. The distinguishing features between these neoplasms are discussed. Preoperative diagnosis of chordoma permits optimum planned surgery.