Interpret the following features of CSF: - cell count, protein content, glucose content, xanthochromia, oligoclonal bands[]
Xanthochromia[]
Oligoclonal Bands[]
Oligoclonal bands are bands of immunoglobulins observed upon electrophoresis. Comparison of CSF and serum electrophoresis may reveal differences between the two. If oligoclonal bands are observed in the CSF sample and not in the serum sample, it indicates that an immune process is occuring in the central nervous system that is not occurring elsewhere.
95% of Multiple Sclerosis patients will have oligoclonal bands in their CSF. However, other immune disorders can cause oligoclonal bands.
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