CT appearance of clival chordomas

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Chordomas are rare bone tumors originating from the clivus.
• Clival chordomas can cause significant neurological deficits due to their location.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the computed tomography (CT) findings of chordomas arising from the clivus.
• To correlate CT features with tumor characteristics and clinical presentation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of CT scans from 30 patients with histologically confirmed clival chordomas.
• Analysis of imaging features including bone destruction, soft tissue mass, and characteristics like enhancement and calcification.

Main Results:

• All CT examinations showed bone destruction with a soft tissue mass.
• Tumors encroached on the adjacent brain in all cases.
• Common CT findings included contrast enhancement, soft tissue calcification, and areas of low attenuation.

Conclusions:

• CT is valuable in diagnosing clival chordomas, demonstrating characteristic bone destruction and soft tissue involvement.
• Imaging features such as enhancement and calcification aid in characterizing these tumors.
• The findings highlight the aggressive nature of clival chordomas and their potential for intracranial extension.