Light Microscopic Cytology of Cerebrospinal Fluid

Although previously covered in Chapter 4, the following points on gross inspection of cerebrospinal fluid should be reemphasized: 1. Simply looking at a tube of cerebrospinal fluid and calling it clear and colorless is not adequate; 2. The cerebrospinal fluid should be immediately spun down after collection and decanted into a separate tube. An identical tube filled with water to the same level should be used for comparison; 3. One should look down vertically through the entire length of the tube onto a white background. Daylight, rather than artificial light, should be used if at all possible; and 4. Yellowish tints in cerebrospinal fluid are due to many abnormalities, including elevated protein, lysed red blood cells, increased levels of bilirubin, and carotenemia.