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Test Code Billings Clinic: 3085 Cell Count and Differential, Spinal Fluid (CSF)

Performing Laboratory

Billings Clinic Laboratory: Hematology

Useful For

The CSF cell count may help detect:

  • Meningitis and infection of the brain or spinal cord
  • Tumor, abscess, or area of tissue death (infarct)
  • Inflammation
  • Bleeding into the spinal fluid

Methodology

Fluorescence/Automated (GloCyte)

Hemacytometry/Manual (Backup method)

Flow Cytometry/Automated (Backup method)

Specimen Requirements

Specimen:

  • Specimen must arrive within 1 hour of collection.
  • 1 mL of spinal fluid in a screw-capped, sterile vial or other suitable fluid container.
  • Anticoagulant tube is not acceptable.
  • Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
  • Avoid hemolysis or contamination with blood.

Additional Information:

In general, CSF should be collected into 4 separate allotments with the tubes labeled in order of collection.

  • Tube 1 - saved for possible cell counts to help distinguish a traumatic tap from a subarachnoid hemorrhage.  This is routinely required by the Emergency Department
  • Tube 2 - used for chemistry and immunological studies
  • Tube 3 - used for microbiology testing
  • Tube 4 - used i hematology for the cell count and differential and can also be used for cytology

CSF from a shunt should be collected in a sterile urine container.

Reference Values

Color: Colorless

Clarity: Clear

Nucleated Cells:

0 - 28 Days                        0 - 12 WBCs/uL

28 - 56 Days                      0 - 6 WBCs/uL

56 days  - 11 years           0 - 7 WBCs/uL

11 - 150 years                   0 - 5 WBCs/uL

Red Blood Cells:

All Ages                             0 - 5 WBCs/uL 

 

Day(s) Test Set Up

Daily

Test Classification and CPT Coding

89051 - Cell count, miscellaneous body fluids, except blood; with differential count

LOINC Code Information

Reporting Name LOINC Code
Nucleated Cell Count, CSF (automated) 52816-6
Nucleated Cell Count, CSF (manual)

58906-9
Red Blood Cell Count, CSF (automated) 23860-0
Red Blood Cell Count, CSF (manual) 792-2

 

Profile/Testing Information

Reflex Information:

Abnormal results may be submitted to a pathologist for review.

When nucleated cell count is <5 cells/mm3, the differential is not performed.

If the differential is not performed, the test ordered will be modified to Billings Clinic: #3028 “Cell Count, Spinal Fluid (CSF)” with CPT code 89050.

 

General Information:

This test may be ordered on separate specimens from the same procedure.

Specimen Requirements - Specimen Processing

Client Services: Fill out CSF Order Form and deliver with specimen to Hematology.