Rectal bleeding: an uncommon clinical presentation of sacral chordoma

Abstract

Chordomas constitute the most common primary malignant tumours of the sacrum. They usually produce insidious and non-specific symptoms, which may lead to diagnostic delay of years. Compression of local structures produces back and hip pain, constipation and urinary retention. Rectal infiltration is an infrequent, late event that normally implies advanced disease. Sacral imaging is essential to characterize these tumours, although biopsy is required for histological confirmation. We present the case of a male patient who presented to the emergency department reporting long-term rectal bleeding, constipation, and lower back and hip pain. The patient was eventually diagnosed with chordoma of the sacrum. Láinez-Ramos-Bossini, Antonio Jesús1; García-Roa, María Dolores1, Garrido-Sanz, Francisco1; Gálvez-López, Regina2 1Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada (España) 2Centro de Salud Almanjáyar, Distrito Sanitario de Granada Norte (España) Enviado: 23-07-2019 Revisado: 25-07-2019 Aceptado: 25-08-2019 Antonio Jesús Láinez Ramos-Bossini Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico. Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves Av. Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada (España) Teléfono: +34 958020000 E-mail: ajbossini@ugr.es Palabras clave: Cordoma sacro; infiltración rectal; rectorragia; diagnóstico radiológico.