Image Description
Chordoma - Gross Pathology: Chordoma is a locally destructive tumor that erodes through the bony cortex to form a well-demarcated, lobulated soft tissue mass which has a bluish-gray, gelatinous or chondroid cut surface. The gross appearance resembles a chondrosarcoma or mucinous adenocarcinoma.
Sacral tumors frequently attain large sizes (>10 cm) as they have room to grow and remain clinically silent in the early stages. Areas of hemorrhage and necrosis are frequently present (see also previous image).
The poorly-differentiated variants are more solid, fleshy, and pink-tan and lack myxoid areas. The dedifferentiated chordomas have two components: a gelatinous area representing conventional chordoma and a solid, fleshy, pink-tan area representing the dedifferentiated component.
Image copyright: pathorama.ch
Sacral tumors frequently attain large sizes (>10 cm) as they have room to grow and remain clinically silent in the early stages. Areas of hemorrhage and necrosis are frequently present (see also previous image).
The poorly-differentiated variants are more solid, fleshy, and pink-tan and lack myxoid areas. The dedifferentiated chordomas have two components: a gelatinous area representing conventional chordoma and a solid, fleshy, pink-tan area representing the dedifferentiated component.
Image copyright: pathorama.ch