Cytology of cerebrospinal fluid: technical and diagnosis considerations.

The usefulness of cerebrospinal fluid cytology in the diagnosis of malignancy has been enhanced in recent years by the development of new techniques for increasing cellular yield. Micropore filters and a specially adapted cytocentrifuge have been used for this purpose with a resulting increase in cell concentration and in diagnostic accuracy. Cerbrospinal fluid examination has been found to be of particular value in the diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma, lymphomatous and leukemic involvement of the meninges and certain primary central nervous system tumors. Cytologic criteria for the differential diagnosis of the principal types of tumors encountered in cerebrospinal fluid are discussed.