Chondrosarcoma of the head and neck--the value of computed tomography

Chondrosarcomas of the head and neck represent a small percentage and differ in their treatment and prognosis compared with chondrosarcomas elsewhere. Four different cases of chondrosarcoma are presented. One arose intracranially, two in the jaws, one of which followed irradiation for a retinoblastoma, and the last represents chondrosarcomatous transformation in cervical spine Paget disease which is exceptionally rare. Computer tomography (CT) plays an important role in delineating the extent of the tumor with visualization of bony destruction, associated soft-tissue mass, and calcification, information which is extremely important for surgical and therapeutic planning. CT can be vital in suggesting the best possible site for biopsy which is particularly important in this group of neoplasms where the histological diagnosis may be difficult.