Cytodiagnosis in the cerebrospinal fluid with special reference to illness course phases in diseases of the central nervous system

The cytological diagnostic of CSF is indicated in inflammations, vascular and tumorous diseases. A change of normal ratio of 4:1 of CSF-lymphocytes and -monocytes and/or the appearance of functionally active forms of these cell-lines are typical for immunoreactive inflammation (lymphoid cells) or cleaning up (macrophages). Cellular reactions with differing pleocytosis are caused by different irritations within the space of CSF: during the acute phase of meningitis with granulocytosis, in the following cleaning up with monocytosis and macrophages and in inflammatory and immunological reactions with lymphocytosis, lymphoid cells and plasmocytes. Necessary to CSF-diagnostic is the correlation of the stages of the course of disease additional with regard to the quantitative and qualitative results of CSF-protein. Findings of the examination of CSF-cells in diseases of CNS are represented in tabular form.