Question

CSF is obtained by lumbar puncture by a physician. It is often obtained when the patient is in critical condition, and patient treatment decisions need to be made. Restate the importance of proper handling, testing, and reporting for CSF specimens.

Answer 1

CSF is a clear colourless liquid found in the brain and spinal cord. A CSF analysis is a group of tests inorder to diagnose disease that affects brain and spinal cord.

Spinal tap is the procedure by which the fluid is collected. Lumbar puncture is an alternative method. It is done by giving anaesthetics after lying in examination table. Bladder and bowels are emptied before the procedure.

Infectious disease of brain and spinal cord like meningitis and encephalitis can be diagnosed using CSF analysis. Diagnosis of autoimmune diseases such as Guillain Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis can be done. It is important to do a CSF analysis if there is an injury to brain or spinal cord or the cancer that have spreaded to brain. The infection mentioned above are sometimes a life threatening emergencies. So it is very important for the health care provider to do the analysis for the confirmation of diseases and to do further treatment and research.

For the reporting of CSF analysis the normal reference range of the CSF liquid is compared. The factors like total volume, opening pressure, colour, osmolarity, acid base balance are noted and compared with reference. The bacteria, antibodies and cancer cell presence are studied by the use of appropriate methodologies.