Dorsal medullary compression due to a primary vertebral chondrosarcoma
Gelabert-González, M.; Reyes-Santías, R.M.; García-Pravos, A.
Revista de Neurologia 30(4): 322-324
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0210-0010 PMID: 10789139 Document Number: 523865
Chondrosarcomas are the second commonest type of bony tumors, although they are not commonly found to be vertebral. They may originate in healthy bone or develop in a cartilaginous lesion with sarcomatous degeneration. A 62 year old woman complained of pain in the back and weakness of her legs. Following magnetic resonance studies a tumour at the level of the D6-D7 vertebrae was diagnosed. This was operated on and an extradural tumour, a grade 11 chondrosarcoma was removed. A local recurrence was removed two years later and three years afterwards she is still asymptomatic. A spinal chondrosarcoma is a tumour which usually presents with local pain and signs of spinal involvement. On magnetic resonance it is iso-intense on T1 and shows up with contrast. The treatment of choice is radical surgery since it does not respond well to oncological treatment.