A Unique Case Of Ecchordosis Physaliphora With Intratumoral Haemorrhage

Abstract

Ecchordosis physaliphora is a small, gelatinous tissue that is considered an ectopic notochordal remnant. This tissue is located in the midline of the craniospinal axis, reaching from the dorsum sellae to the sacrococcygeal region (1-4). Intracranial EP is typically found intradurally in the pre-pontine cistern, where it is attached to the dorsal wall of clivus via a small pedicle (1, 2, 5). Ecchordosis in this region are usually asymptomatic, and only a few studies have reported associated symptoms due to tumour expansion and compression of surrounding structures and extratumoral haemorrhage. To our knowledge retroclival EP with intratumoral haemorrhage has been described only once by Alkan et al. We report a case of retroclival EP with intratumoral haemorrhage in a 31 yr old female in which the diagnosis was based on CT and MR imaging.