The present case illustrates the unexpected occurrence of intradural
chordomas that were simultaneously discovered in cranial and spinal locations. A 63-year-old female presented with weakness in the left upper extremity. The patient visited a local doctor and underwent brain computerized tomography (CT). CT revealed a
brain tumor, and she was referred to our hospital. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a midline intradural retroclival
tumor in addition to an intradural extramedullary mass lesion at the level of C1-C2. The patient developed a
spastic gait disturbance that forced her to use a
cane. She underwent
laminectomy at C1-C2 along with total removal of the
tumor and showed no remarkable symptoms after surgery. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of
chordoma. One month after the cervical surgery, the intracranial
tumor was subtotally removed in intracranial surgery via the right subtemporal approach. Histopathological data were identical to that of the cervical
tumor. The patient consulted another hospital and underwent gamma-knife surgery. Her neurological examination is relatively unchanged 20 months after the cervical surgery. This case suggests that neuroradiological evaluation should also be performed for an intradural spinal
chordoma when an intracranial
chordoma is detected. Careful determination of the
tumor responsible for the symptoms is necessary if an intradural spinal
chordoma is simultaneously detected with an intracranial
chordoma.