Chordoma of the thorax

Chordomata are malignant tumours which arise from foetal notochordal rests. They occur alongside the vertebral column, mostly at the cranial or caudal extremities, but they are seldom found in the thorax. A description is given of a thoracic chordoma in a 70-year-old male patient who presented with difficulty in swallowing and breathing. Emphasis is placed on the role of computer-assisted tomography in reaching the diagnosis.