THE EXAMINATION of cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for cytologic diagnosis has been widely performed. Although this can be a useful diagnostic technique, there are serious limitations in the identification of cells by light microscopy. It would be advantageous to study cells obtained from spinal fluid by electron microccopy. The present paper describes a technique which permits recovery and processing of a very small number of cells from CSF for examination by electron microscopy.
Method
Cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture is collected in a centrifuge tube. An equal volume of 4% cold phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde1 is added immediately. Fixation continues for one hour or less at 4 C. During the last 15 minutes of fixation, the fluid is centrifuged at 3,000 rpm. The supernatant is decanted. Cold phosphate buffer is added to the sediment, which is then agitated and recentrifuged.The sediment is further fixed in 2%