[Early diagnosis of chordoma by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (author's transl)].

Successful surgical therapy or radiation of chordoma depends on an early morphologic diagnosis. Two cases of chordoma in the sphenooccipital region are reported, in which fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed. This method is controlled by X-ray. For gaining sufficient material it is superior to surgical biopsy. The cytomorphology of chordoma and its differential diagnosis are discussed.