title: Lumbar vertebral chordoma: diffusion-weighted imaging findings are helpful to narrow the differential diagnosis. A case report.
abstract: Solitary vertebral chordoma presents as an intra- and extraosseous tumour with typical bright signal on T2-weighted images and moderate inhomogeneous enhancement on T1 postcontrast images. The diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) characteristics of this histologically proven third lumbar vertebra chordoma are reported for the first time. The DWI hyperintensity with increased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values strongly supports the preoperative diagnosis of a vertebral chordoma, allows for careful preoperative planning of the surgical procedure, and helps to narrow the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstrasse 15, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland. sabine.sartoretti@ksw.ch
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sartoretti-Schefer
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oberle
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Binkert
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pfofe
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutzeit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002817:Chordoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*