A lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, is a medical procedure used to collect samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the area surrounding the spinal cord. These fluid samples can then be sent to different laboratory departments, such as clinical chemistry, microbiology, and hematology, for diagnostic testing.

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This is the fluid that fills the ventricles and has two main functions:

- Shock absorber (gives the brain room to move inside of the skull).
- Allows for exchange of nutrients to the brain from blood vessels. 

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

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Lumbar Puncture

When cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples are analyzed, they first undergo a visual examination to check if the fluid is abnormally colored or cloudy. Following this, the CSF is examined under a microscope to evaluate whether it contains a normal count of red and white blood cells and to detect any abnormal cell types.

Visual and Microscopic Examination of Cerebrospinal Fluid

When cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples are tested in a microbiology laboratory, they are typically centrifuged to concentrate any cells into a sediment. This concentrated sediment is then smeared onto a slide and treated with a Gram stain to check for bacteria, and part of the sample may be cultured in special dishes to see if any microorganisms grow.

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