PMID: 9448016Feb 3, 1998Paper

Cerebrospinal fluid cytology: an 11-year experience with 5951 specimens

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
R A Prayson, D F Fischler

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnoses encompass a wide spectrum of conditions. The authors review one institution's CSF cytology results over an 11-year period. A retrospective study of 5951 CSF specimens generated between 1985 and 1995. Specimens from pediatric patients (<19 years of age) from the same time period were separately identified. A total of 5561 adult and 390 pediatric CSF specimens were interpreted. A diagnosis of "negative for malignant cells" was assigned in 5171 (93%) of the adult cases and in 351 (90%) of the pediatric cases. Specific infectious organisms were identified in 26 adult specimens and one pediatric specimen. Cryptococcus was the most common infectious agent observed (n = 23 adults), and Toxoplasma was the sole pediatric infectious agent. Two hundred seventy-six (5%) adult cases and 31 (8%) pediatric cases were positive for malignant cells. Diagnoses included metastatic tumors (adult, 140 [51%]; pediatric, 0); lymphoma/leukemia (adult, 112 [41%]; pediatric, 4 [13%]); malignant unclassified neoplasms (adult, 9 [3%]; pediatric, 0); and primary central nervous system neoplasms (adult, 12 [4%]; pediatric, 27 [87%]). Medulloblastoma was the most common pediatric neoplasm (n = 21). There were 105 (2%) adult...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

CSF & Lymphatic System

This feed focuses on Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) and the lymphatic system. Discover the latest papers using imaging techniques to track CSF outflow into the lymphatic system in animal models.