title: Solitary lesions of the clivus: what else besides chordomas? An extensive clinical outlook on rare pathologies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Solitary non-chordomatous lesions of the clivus are rare pathologies, which represent a diagnostic challenge. This study provides an overview of the clinical, radiological and prognostic characteristics of non-chordomatous clival lesions, highlighting current therapeutic options.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two non-chordomatous lesions of the clivus were collected. A retrospective analysis of clinical and radiological patterns as well as survival data was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical presentation was a result of local mass effect. Imaging features, although mainly specific, were not always diagnostic. Extent of surgery was gross total in 45.5 % of cases. Depending on the histology, biological behaviour and presence of seeding, adjuvant treatment was performed, tailoring the treatment strategy to the single patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Solitary non-chordomatous lesions of the clival bone are more prevalent than expected. They should be approached with a correct differential diagnosis, considering specific epidemiological, radiological, and histopathological characteristics, to minimise diagnostic bias and allow the planning of the best treatment strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute University, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy, gagliardi.filippo@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boari
authors.forename: Ashwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mortini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome