Unusual behaviour of low-grade chondrosarcoma of bone

Chondrosarcoma of the temporomandibular disc: behavior over a 28-year observation period

Chondrosarcoma of the head and neck occurs infrequently, with a recorded prevalence of only 5 to 12% of all such tumors; this in total represents only 17 to 22% of all monostotic bone malignancies. Chondrosarcomas arising in the region of the temporomandibular joint are especially rare, with only 28-including subsets-recorded in the 6 decades since the first report in 1954. The lesion described in the present report would appear to be the first arising solely from the disc itself, and the postoperative period of observation is the longest on record. The patient's course over 27 years shows the need for ongoing vigilance in the management of this tumor.

The imaging of cartilaginous bone tumours. II. Chondrosarcoma

Chondrosarcoma is the third most common primary malignant bone tumour. There are various histological subtypes of chondrosarcomas, of which conventional intramedullary chondrosarcoma is by far the most common. Rarer sub-types include clear cell chondrosarcoma, myxoid chondrosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma and dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma is also classified into central, peripheral and periosteal, dependent upon the lesion site, and into primary chondrosarcoma if the lesion arises de novo and secondary chondrosarcoma if the tumour arises in a pre-existing lesion. The various subtypes of chondrosarcoma have characteristic imaging features that may aid diagnosis and may guide biopsy, therefore potentially preventing misdiagnosis. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the pertinent clinical and imaging findings of the different forms of chondrosarcoma.