Higher positive identification of malignant CSF cells using the cytocentrifuge than the Suta chamber.

OBJECTIVE: To define how to best handle cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens to obtain the highest positivity rate for the diagnosis of malignancy, comparing two different methods of cell concentration, sedimentation and cytocentrifugation. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 411 CSF reports. RESULTS: This is a descriptive comparative study. The positive identification of malignant CSF cells was higher using the centrifuge than that using the Suta chamber (27.8% vs. 19.0%, respectively; p = 0.038). Centrifuge positively identified higher numbers of malignant cells in samples with a normal concentration of white blood cells (WBCs) (< 5 cells/mm3) and with more than 200 cells/mm3, although this was not statistically significant. There was no lymphocyte loss using either method. CONCLUSIONS: Cytocentrifugation positively identified a greater number of malignant cells in the CSF than cytosedimentation with the Suta chamber. However, there was no difference between the methods when the WBC counts were within the normal range.

Higher positive identification of malignant CSF cells using the cytocentrifuge than the Suta chamber / A identificação de células neoplásicas no LCR foi maior com o uso da citocentrifuga do que com câmara de Suta

ABSTRACT Objective To define how to best handle cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens to obtain the highest positivity rate for the diagnosis of malignancy, comparing two different methods of cell concentration, sedimentation and cytocentrifugation. Methods A retrospective analysis of 411 CSF reports. Results This is a descriptive comparative study. The positive identification of malignant CSF cells was higher using the centrifuge than that using the Suta chamber (27.8% vs. 19.0%, respectively; p = 0.038). Centrifuge positively identified higher numbers of malignant cells in samples with a normal concentration of white blood cells (WBCs) (< 5 cells/mm3) and with more than 200 cells/mm3, although this was not statistically significant. There was no lymphocyte loss using either method. Conclusions Cytocentrifugation positively identified a greater number of malignant cells in the CSF than cytosedimentation with the Suta chamber. However, there was no difference between the methods when the WBC counts were within the normal range.

RESUMO Objetivo Definir qual a melhor forma de concentrar amostras de LCR para obter maior porcentagem de positividade para o diagnóstico de infiltração neoplásica. comparando dois métodos diferentes de concentração de células, sedimentação e citocentrifugação. Métodos Análise retrospectiva de 411 laudos de LCR. Resultados Estudo comparativo descritivo. A identificação de células neoplásicas no LCR foi mais elevada quando usada a citocentrífuga do que a câmara de Suta (28% vs 19,0%, respectivamente; p = 0,038). Centrifugação identificou maior número de células neoplásicas em amostras com concentração de células < 5 células/mm3 e superior a 200 células/mm3, embora não significativo. Não houve perda de linfócitos usando qualquer um dos métodos. Conclusões A citocentrifugação identificou um número maior de células malignas no LCR do que a sedimentação com a câmara de Suta. No entanto, não houve diferença entre os métodos quando as contagens de leucócitos estavam dentro do intervalo normal.

Proteínas totais no LCR antes e após radioterapia / CSF protein contents before and after radiotherapy

Com o uso da radioterapia e quimioterapia intratecal associados, passou-se a observar alterações do sistema nervoso central que denotaram lesões neuronais ou vasculares...

Lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms involving cerebrospinal fluid: comparison of morphologic examination and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry.

We studied 53 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by cytologic examination and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. The samples were taken from 43 patients; 25 had a previous diagnosis of malignant lymphoma/leukemia and the remaining 18 a variety of other diseases involving the central nervous system (CNS). Lymphoma/leukemia was detected in 21 samples: 12 by morphologic examination and immunophenotyping and nine by immunophenotyping alone. There were two cases with a suspicious morphologic examination and negative immunophenotyping in which the final diagnosis were cryptococcal and viral meningitis. In the group of 18 patients, one was diagnosed as a primary malignant lymphoma of the CNS and was positive with cytology and immunophenotyping. The other 17 were negative with both methods and follow-up showed no evidence of lymphoma/leukemia. This study shows that morphologic examination combined with flow cytometry enhances the detection rate by 75% over morphologic examination alone in CSF samples.

Dexamethasone in the treatment of meningeal leukemia.

To determine if dexamethasone has a role in the treatment of meningeal leukemia, 8 consecutive patients with acute lymphoblastic and signs or symptoms of CNS were included in the study. After the confirmation of leukemic blast cells on cerebrospinal fluid, they received intrathecal and IV dexamethasone; 3 days later the patients received "triple" intrathecal chemotherapy with dexamethasone, methotrexate and cytarabine, and the spinal fluid was studied again. All patients had good clinical response and 7 out of the 8 patients showed reduction on the CSF cell count after the use of dexamethasone alone. The results suggest that dexamethasone is a lymphocytic agent that could play a more active role in the prevention and therapy of meningeal leukemia and should be preferred over hydrocortisone in the so called "triple" intrathecal chemotherapy for the prevention and treatment of CNS leukemia.

[Brain changes in leukemias. Histopathological aspects of choroid plexus involvement]. / Alteraçôes Encefálicas nas leucemias. Aspectos histopatológicos do envolvimento dos plexos coroides.

In the study of 38 cases of leukemia, neoplastic infiltration of the brain was the most frequent lesion, occuring in 70,5%, compared to 48,5% for hemorrhage. The leptomeninges were the most frequent site of leukemic infiltration followed by the choroid plexus (57,8%) and the nervous tissue (50%). In few cases leukemic infiltration of choroid plexus was seen in the absence of meningeal involvement. Very often the leukemic infiltration of the CNS courses without clinical manifestations. The paper points out the importance of the cytologic study of the cerebro-spinal fluid as a routine procedure in cases of leukemia, since it is well known that the therapeutic agents have difficulty in penetrating the blood-brain barrier and that foci of CNS leukemic infiltration may represent points of reactivation points of reactivation of the disease even during the therapeutic remission.