Case Reports Forensic Pathology 2025 Exercise 5: Ecchordosis Physaliphora

Authors

Yoad Porat, MD

Physician Anesthesia Services, Lakewood, Colorado

Amanda O. Fisher-Hubbard, MD

Department of Pathology, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker Md School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Rudolph Castellani, MD

Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

Joseph A. Prahlow MD

Office of The Medical Examiner – City of St. Louis; Department of Pathology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Primary Audience: Pathologists and Clinical Scientists
Secondary Audience: Residents, Laboratory Technologist/Scientist (Includes all sub-specialty areas), Students, Pathologist Assistants,  Laboratory Directors and Educators

Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to:

• describe the normal embryologic development and progressive degeneration of the notochord;
• detail the types of residual notochord remnants which may persist after embryogenesis;
• explain why many people consider ecchordosis physaliphora a hamartomatous process, rather than a neoplastic process;
• describe the classical histologic appearance of ecchordosis physaliphora; and
• explain the important gross, radiologic, and histologic features which distinguish ecchordosis physaliphora from chordoma and other lesions of the notochord.