What is cerebrospinal fluid (csf) analysis?
Definition Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a laboratory test to examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is a clear, watery liquid that protects the central nervous system from injury and cushions it from the surrounding bone structure. It contains a variety of substances, particularly glucose (sugar), protein, and white blood cells from the immune system. The fluid is withdrawn through a needle in a procedure called a lumbar puncture. Purpose The purpose of a CSF analysis is to diagnose medical disorders that affect the central nervous system. Some of these conditions include: • viral and bacterial infections, such as meningitis, West Nile virus, herpesvirus, and encephalitis • tumors or cancers of the nervous system • syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease • bleeding (hemorrhaging) around the brain and spinal cord • multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the myelin coating of the nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord • Guillain-B
