5. Check Physical Appearance (gross)
Slide Making (cytocentrifuge technique)
Staining of slides
Microscopic evaluation of slides
6. PHYSICAL APPEREANCE
Normal
• Crystal clear, colorless
Abnormal
• hazy, cloudy, turbid, milky, bloody, Xanthrochromic
• Unclear specimens may contain increased lipids, proteins,
cells or bacteria
• Clots indicate traumatic tap
• Milky – increased lipids
• Oily – contaminated with x-ray
• Xanthrochromic – Yellowing discoloration of supernatant
(may be pinkish, or orange
• Brown or Dark CSF –methemoglobin from a hematoma.
• Green CSF --hyperbilirubinaria
11. Normal CSF is essentially acellular
Entire smear should be evaluated for
• abnormal cells
• inclusions within cells
• Clusters
• Presence of intracellular organism
13. Meningeal infections
• viral,bacterial,fungal
• Clear to cloudy
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• ruptured cerebral aneurysm, or may result
from head injury
• Bloody CSF
CNS malignancy
• Brain tumors
18. • To confirm diagnosis of a disease
• Evaluate for intracranial hemorrhage
• Diagnose malignancies, leukemia
• Investigate central nervous system disorders