Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Findings of Intracranial Chondroma and Chondrosarcoma with a Non-Skull Base Origin: A Report of Two Cases

Abstract

Introduction: Intracranial chondroma and chondrosarcoma are very rare tumors that mainly originate from the base of the skull. Advanced neuroimaging studies, including magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), play a pivotal role in both tumor diagnosis and presurgical planning. Case Presentation: We present two cases of intracranial cartilaginous tumors, including a chondroma and a chondrosarcoma, both of which presented with severe headaches. Due to inconclusive conventional MRI and MRS results, they were both primarily diagnosed as intra-axial brain tumors. However, pathological reports later confirmed the diagnosis of a chondroma and a chondrosarcoma. Conclusion: Based on the present findings, the use of advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as MRS, may improve diagnostic accuracy. We believe that MRS can play a significant role in the surgical planning of similar cases. Also, reporting rare cases worldwide can contribute to the improvement of radiographic diagnosis.