12+Body+Fluid+Analysis-STU+181224

Body fluids

Fluids in the body that are analyzed in clinical chemistry labs, excluding blood and urine.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

A clear, colorless fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, formed in the brain's ventricles.

Amniotic fluid (AF)

Fluid that surrounds a fetus, collected for testing during pregnancy.

Amniocentesis

A procedure to collect amniotic fluid for prenatal testing, usually performed between the 16th and 42nd gestation weeks.

Pleocytosis

An increase in the number of white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Blood-brain barrier

A selective permeable barrier that separates the circulating blood from the brain's environment.

Hydrocephalus

A medical condition characterized by an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

Neural tube defects (NTDs)

Congenital malformations that occur during the early development of the neural tube.

Acquired hydrocephalus

A type of hydrocephalus that develops after birth due to injury or disease.

Xanthochromic

A yellow-orangeish color of the cerebrospinal fluid, indicating the presence of bilirubin.

Lumbar puncture

A medical procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal canal.

Intracranial pressure

The pressure within the skull, which can be measured before CSF withdrawal.

CNS malignancy

A tumor or cancer that arises in the central nervous system.

Hypoglycorrhachia

A decrease in cerebrospinal fluid glucose levels.

CSF Lactate

A substance measured in cerebrospinal fluid, increased during hypoxia or bacterial meningitis.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)

An enzyme whose presence in cerebrospinal fluid can indicate tissue damage.