Craniospinal dissemination of clival chondroid chordoma.

Chondroid chordoma commonly presents as clival osseous and extradural mass. A 15-year-old boy presented with progressive visual deficit, headaches and diplopia since three years. Computed tomography (CT scan) showed a skull base tumour, but was wrongly reported at the time as chronic sphenoidal sinusitis and nasal polyps. In the past three months, he developed dysphagia, urinary retention and constipation. Terminally, he had weakness of all limbs. Fundoscopy showed optic atrophy. Temporal and spatial variation in symptoms led to a clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis with optic neuritis. Partial brain autopsy revealed small gelatinous tumour nodules in the subarachnoid space of middle cranial fossa encasing base of brain like arachnoiditis. Tumour deposits extended down into the spinal cord along the subarachnoid space as far as vision allowed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed a diagnosis of chondroid chordoma. Awareness of this rare mode of dissemination will avoid misdiagnosis and delay in treatment.

A longitudinal follow up of neurodevelopment of high risk newborns--a comparison of Amiel-Tison's method with Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

The neurodevelopment of 42 high risk babies and 7 control babies was assessed longitudinally till the age of 12 months by using two different methods. The method of neurological evaluation described by Amiel-Tison was used, and the results compared with those of a standard developmental test, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. The Amiel-Tison method was found to be a sensitive test for picking up abnormalities till the age of 9 months, but lost its advantage over the Bayley Scales at 12 months. Besides, the test was quick, simple to learn and did not need a special kit or a trained psychologist and was hence found to be a good screening method.