Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCerebrospinal Fluid AnalysisPurpose of CSF AnalysisInjections Into the CSF for Treatment of Brain or Spinal Cord CancerFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis
Purpose of CSF Analysis
Injections Into the CSF for Treatment of Brain or Spinal Cord Cancer
Frequently Asked Questions
Cerebrospinal fluid, also known as CSF, is a clear, colorless fluid that flows through the brain and spinal cord, surrounding and cushioning it from injury. CSF has the same consistency as water and delivers nutrients to your central nervous system (CNS). In addition, the choroid plexus produces cerebral spinal fluid in your brain’sventricles(hollow spaces). CSF is completely replaced every few hours and carries away waste material.
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Lumbar Puncture
During a lumbar puncture, a long, thin, hollow needle is inserted between spaces in your spinal cord to obtain a fluid sample. You may feel pressure and a bit of soreness as the needle enters your body. After the fluid is removed, you will be asked to lie flat for an hour or more after the test. This is to prevent a headache. If youdevelop a headache, it may last up to a couple of days after the test.
The CSF is analyzed for its pressure, appearance, protein, glucose, cell count, and identification of cells.It is stained for microscopic examination and cultured to look for bacteria and other infectious organisms. Other chemistry tests include looking for tumor markers, amyloid beta 42 and tau protein inAlzheimer’s disease, myelin essential protein inmultiple sclerosis, and various other assays.
When to Call a Healthcare ProviderYou should contact your healthcare provider if your headache lasts for more than a week.If you develop a high fever, severe headache, sensitivity to light, vomiting, or tingling or numbness in your legs, you should contact your healthcare provider.
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
You should contact your healthcare provider if your headache lasts for more than a week.If you develop a high fever, severe headache, sensitivity to light, vomiting, or tingling or numbness in your legs, you should contact your healthcare provider.
You should contact your healthcare provider if your headache lasts for more than a week.
If you develop a high fever, severe headache, sensitivity to light, vomiting, or tingling or numbness in your legs, you should contact your healthcare provider.
Infectious diseases such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can infect the central nervous system.The most common infections of the CNS include:
Cerebrospinal fluid analysis can identify hemorrhagic diseases such as intracranial bleeding due to stroke,high blood pressure, and aneurysms.
Immunological disorders can disrupt the central nervous system with inflammation, producing antibodies and destroying the myelin sheathing around the nerves. Common immunological diseases include:
A lumbar puncture may be used to deliver chemotherapy medication to treat brain or spinal cord cancer.This process is known asintrathecal chemotherapy. It is used in the treatment of some types of leukemia or lymphoma.
The procedure, which typically takes 20 minutes, includes numbing an area of skin over your spine. Then, a needle will be gently inserted, and the chemotherapy will be injected through the needle into the CSF. A benefit of this process is that there are very few post-chemotherapy side effects. However, some side effects may include a headache.
Summary
Cerebrospinal fluid supports the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. A lumbar puncture is a procedure that can access the CSF for a fluid sample for disease diagnosis.
A Word From Verywell
A lumbar puncture can identify infections in the CSF or serious diseases that affect the nervous system. Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure’s details if necessary. A severe headache is a possible side effect of a lumbar puncture, and you should immediately notify your healthcare provider if this occurs.
Frequently Asked QuestionsCerebrospinal fluid surrounds and cushions the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. CSF provides nutrients to the nervous system and removes waste.The normal range of CSF pressure is 70 to 180 millimeters of water.The most common symptom of aCSF leakis a severe headache. Other symptoms are related to the location of the leak and can include:Runny noseBlurred visionLoss of smell (anosmia)Neck painDizzinessNausea and vomitingSeizuresPulsing ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds and cushions the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. CSF provides nutrients to the nervous system and removes waste.
The normal range of CSF pressure is 70 to 180 millimeters of water.
The most common symptom of aCSF leakis a severe headache. Other symptoms are related to the location of the leak and can include:Runny noseBlurred visionLoss of smell (anosmia)Neck painDizzinessNausea and vomitingSeizuresPulsing ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
The most common symptom of aCSF leakis a severe headache. Other symptoms are related to the location of the leak and can include:
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hrishi AP, Sethuraman M.Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis and interpretation in neurocritical care for acute neurological conditions.Indian J Crit Care Med. 2019;23(Suppl 2):S115–S119. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23187Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lumbar puncture.Dando SJ, Mackay-Sim A, Norton R, et al.Pathogens penetrating the central nervous system: infection pathways and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of invasion.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2014;27(4):691–726. doi:10.1128/CMR.00118-13Caceres JA, Goldstein JN.Intracranial hemorrhage.Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2012;30(3):771–794. doi:10.1016/j.emc.2012.06.003Wang Y, Springer S, Zhang M, et al.Detection of tumor-derived DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with primary tumors of the brain and spinal cord.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(31):9704–9709. doi:10.1073/pnas.1511694112Triarico S, Maurizi P, Mastrangelo S, Attinà G, Capozza MA, Ruggiero A.Improving the brain delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in childhood brain tumors.Cancers (Basel). 2019;11(6):824. doi:10.3390/cancers11060824Medline Plus.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection.Cleveland Clinic.Cerebrospinal fluid CSF leak.Additional ReadingAmerican Association for Clinical Chemistry, Lab Tests Online.CSF analysis.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hrishi AP, Sethuraman M.Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis and interpretation in neurocritical care for acute neurological conditions.Indian J Crit Care Med. 2019;23(Suppl 2):S115–S119. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23187Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lumbar puncture.Dando SJ, Mackay-Sim A, Norton R, et al.Pathogens penetrating the central nervous system: infection pathways and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of invasion.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2014;27(4):691–726. doi:10.1128/CMR.00118-13Caceres JA, Goldstein JN.Intracranial hemorrhage.Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2012;30(3):771–794. doi:10.1016/j.emc.2012.06.003Wang Y, Springer S, Zhang M, et al.Detection of tumor-derived DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with primary tumors of the brain and spinal cord.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(31):9704–9709. doi:10.1073/pnas.1511694112Triarico S, Maurizi P, Mastrangelo S, Attinà G, Capozza MA, Ruggiero A.Improving the brain delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in childhood brain tumors.Cancers (Basel). 2019;11(6):824. doi:10.3390/cancers11060824Medline Plus.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection.Cleveland Clinic.Cerebrospinal fluid CSF leak.Additional ReadingAmerican Association for Clinical Chemistry, Lab Tests Online.CSF analysis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hrishi AP, Sethuraman M.Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis and interpretation in neurocritical care for acute neurological conditions.Indian J Crit Care Med. 2019;23(Suppl 2):S115–S119. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23187Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lumbar puncture.Dando SJ, Mackay-Sim A, Norton R, et al.Pathogens penetrating the central nervous system: infection pathways and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of invasion.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2014;27(4):691–726. doi:10.1128/CMR.00118-13Caceres JA, Goldstein JN.Intracranial hemorrhage.Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2012;30(3):771–794. doi:10.1016/j.emc.2012.06.003Wang Y, Springer S, Zhang M, et al.Detection of tumor-derived DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with primary tumors of the brain and spinal cord.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(31):9704–9709. doi:10.1073/pnas.1511694112Triarico S, Maurizi P, Mastrangelo S, Attinà G, Capozza MA, Ruggiero A.Improving the brain delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in childhood brain tumors.Cancers (Basel). 2019;11(6):824. doi:10.3390/cancers11060824Medline Plus.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection.Cleveland Clinic.Cerebrospinal fluid CSF leak.
Hrishi AP, Sethuraman M.Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis and interpretation in neurocritical care for acute neurological conditions.Indian J Crit Care Med. 2019;23(Suppl 2):S115–S119. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23187
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lumbar puncture.
Dando SJ, Mackay-Sim A, Norton R, et al.Pathogens penetrating the central nervous system: infection pathways and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of invasion.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2014;27(4):691–726. doi:10.1128/CMR.00118-13
Caceres JA, Goldstein JN.Intracranial hemorrhage.Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2012;30(3):771–794. doi:10.1016/j.emc.2012.06.003
Wang Y, Springer S, Zhang M, et al.Detection of tumor-derived DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with primary tumors of the brain and spinal cord.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(31):9704–9709. doi:10.1073/pnas.1511694112
Triarico S, Maurizi P, Mastrangelo S, Attinà G, Capozza MA, Ruggiero A.Improving the brain delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in childhood brain tumors.Cancers (Basel). 2019;11(6):824. doi:10.3390/cancers11060824
Medline Plus.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection.
Cleveland Clinic.Cerebrospinal fluid CSF leak.
American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Lab Tests Online.CSF analysis.
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