[Cytologic examination of the cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis of primary or metastatic neoplasms of the nervous system]. / Exame citológico do líquido céfalo-raquidiano no diagnóstico de neoplasias primitivas ou metastáticas do sistema nervoso: a propósito de seis casos.

The authors report 6 cases of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examinations in which malignant cells were found. In 5 cases the finding was incidental: medulloblastoma (case 1); malignant melanoma (case 2); adenocarcinoma (case 3); meningitis carcinomatosa (case 4) and neuroleukaemia (case 5). In only one case neuroleukaemia was suspected before the study of the CSF (case 6). The unexpected occurrence of malignant cells in the CSF demands the pathologist to be well acquainted with tumor cell cytology, in order to identify them providing so useful information that can decidedly influence subsequent diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The cell collection technic developed in the authors' laboratory was considered adequate, because both inflammatory and malignant cells were securely identified. Its principle is to obtain thin air-dried smears that dry almost instantaneously on slides, in order the cellular structure be preserved. After centrifuging about 5-8 ml of CSF the tube is inverted so as to pour off the whole of the supernatant fluid. It is kept inverted with the operator's left hand, so that no drop of fluid can run back on to the cells. With his right hand the operator touches the bottom of the inverted tube with a Pasteur micropipette preciously made by distending a microhematocrit tube under the flame of a Bunsen burner and attached with adhesive tape to the handle of a wire loop 2 mm in diameter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Specific count of cerebrospinal fluid cells in the counting chamber using supravital staining]. / Contagem específica de células do líquido céfalo raquideano em câmara usando coloração supravital.

The authors adapted to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) the staining technic developed by Anguiano and Ancira to perform differential leucocyte counts in the counting chamber. The formula they used is the following: methyl alcohol 1 ml, distilled water 2 ml. To this mixture are added: 6 drops of Leishman stain filtered in Whatman paper number 42; toluidine blue 0.25% aqueous solution (filtered in the same manner), 1 drop; acetate buffer 0.1 M, pH 5.4, 1 drop. The technic varies according to the intensity of pleocytosis. If the CSF is turbid or contains more than 100 cells per c.m. 1 drop is dripped in the bottom of a 10X75 test tube and then 2 drops of the staining fluid are added; the mixture is then shaken; after one or two minutes 1 drop is placed in the Fuchs-Rosenthal counting chamber. If the number of total cells is less than 100 per c.m. different CSF volumes are centrifuged at the rate of 2000 r.p.m., during 6 minutes; the supernatant fluid is poured off and the sedimented cells are suspended in 2 drops of the staining fluid. The morphology of the cells as they appear after they are stained by the supravital staining technic (SVST) is described and illustrated in photomicrographies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)