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

Multiple Choice

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