Comparison of various demographic, location, and imaging features of chordomas with those of the most common imaging differential diagnoses

	Chordoma	GCT	Chondrosarcoma	Plasmacytoma
Age at diagnosis (range) (peak yr)	40–60	20–30	30–70	30–60
Most common location in mobile spine	Cervical	Lumbar (sacrum much more common)	Lumbar	Thoracic
Commonly involves posterior elements	–	+	+	+
Intratumoral calcification	Amorphous	–	Rings and arcs	–
T2WI	↑↑	↓→	↑	↑
Extraosseous extension	+	+	+	–
Characteristic feature	Dumbbell or mushroom shape	Lytic lesion without sclerotic rim; fluid-fluid levels	Intratumoral chondroid matrix	Minibrain, soap bubble

Note:—GCT indicates Giant cell tumor; –, features absent; +, features present; ↓→, hypo- to iso-intense intralesional signal; ↑, hyperintense intralesional signal.