MR imaging of unusual chordomas

Chordomas are uncommon primary skeletal neoplasms arising from notochordal remnants. Approximately 50% arise in the sacrum, 35% in the clivus, and less than 15% in the true vertebrae. We report magnetic resonance (MR) studies of four unusual primary chordomas, three in the lumbar region (L1, L2, and L3) and one in the Meckel cave. It is often difficult to differentiate the MR findings of these four tumors from other common neoplasms.