Interpret the Following Results: • Specimen: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Multiple Choice

Interpret the following results: • Specimen: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• Tubes sent: 1-4
O Tube 1 RBC count: 30,000/mcL
O Tube 2 RBC count: 1500/mcL
O Tube 3 RBC count: 200/mcL
O Tube 4 RBC count: 4/mcL
• Gross examination:
O Tube 1: moderate hemolysis, clear
O Tube 2: slight hemolysis, clear
O Tube 3: no hemolysis, clear
O Tube 4: no hemolysis, clear
• Xanthochromia: absent in all four tubes
• Microscopic findings:
O Many intact RBCs
O 0-5 neutrophils
O 0-5 lymphocytes
O 0-5 MNCs
What do these data most likely represent?

A) A cerebral hemorrhage
B) A traumatic specimen collection
C) A possible infection in the CSF
D) A bacterial contamination from an external source