9) The hallmark cell of chordoma is the large
physaliphorous cell with a central nucleus and numerous clear cytoplasmic vacuoles.
Microscopically, chordomas consist of nests or cords of
physaliphorous cells separated by fibrous tissue septa and mucoid intercellular substance.
Histological examination revealed scattered
physaliphorous cell nests with a lobular growth pattern.
T12-L2 laminectomy done, tumour decompressed and spine stabilized Microscopic examination revealed the classic
physaliphorous type and the radiotherapy delivered and the patient got relief of pain.
Myxoid variant of chordoma is differentiated by its location in the sacrococcygeal region, base of skull, or the cervical spine and the presence of multinucleated,
physaliphorous cells.
The epithelioid cells are slightly elongated, with associated large mucus-containing
physaliphorous cells (figure 2).
The characteristic
physaliphorous cells, showing abundant, pale, eosinophilic, vacuolated cytoplasm and mild nuclear atypia were noted in all cases (Figure 1, A).
Many of the tumour cells exhibit vacuolization of the cytoplasm resembling
physaliphorous cells.
Histologically, they both show the characteristic
physaliphorous cell; they stain for vimentin, S100, epithelial membrane antigen, and low molecular weight cytokeratins; and they are negative for high molecular weight keratins.
Physaliphorous cells were noted (figure 2), which stained strongly for S-100, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and, focally, AE1-3 cytokeratin.
On microscopy, smears were cellular comprising of round to pleomorphic cells arranged in clusters, monolayered sheet and scattered singly and classic mono and bi nucleated
physaliphorous cells.
Histologically, chordoma is composed of 2 cell populations, multivacuolated
physaliphorous cells (Figure 9, A) and pink epithelioid cells (Figure 9, B), arranged in anastomosing cords in a myxoid or occasionally cartilaginous matrix, the latter typically seen in chondroid chordomas occurring predominantly in the skull base.
