Cerebrospinal fluid examination

Cerebrospinal fluid - a liquid biological environment of the body, circulating in the ventricles of the brain, subarachnoid space of the brain and spinal cord. Performs protective and nutritional functions in the central nervous system. It protects the brain and spinal cord from mechanical influences, ensures the maintenance of permanent intracranial pressure and water-electrolyte balance.
Cerebrospinal fluid is obtained with spinal puncture. It is transparent, colorless, has a constant specific gravity and a slightly alkaline reaction. Its chemical composition is similar to serum. Contains proteins, carbohydrates, urea, phosphorus, trace elements, etc. In microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid, the quantity and nature of the cells contained in it are determined. Special bacteriological tests are performed with suspicion of inflammation of the meninges. The main goal is to isolate the pathogen and determine its sensitivity to antibiotics.
Cerebrospinal fluid varies with different pathologies. The decrease in transparency is caused by the impurity of blood, the increase in the number of cells and the increase in the amount of protein that is observed in tuberculous meningitis, subarachnoid hemorrhages, severe craniocerebral trauma and tumors.
In chronic inflammatory processes in the central nervous system, the protein appears only in the period of exacerbation. Reducing glucose in cerebrospinal fluid is a sign of meningitis, and its increase is a symptom of acute encephalitis. A great diagnostic value is the determination of the electrolyte composition of the cerebrospinal fluid and the determination of tumor cells.