CSF is a fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The procedure doesn’t touch your spinal cord. A spinal tap (lumbar puncture) is a test that checks the health of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). They’ll take 1-2 tablespoons of fluid and remove the needle.
Spinal tap test full#
Your doctor will put a long, thin hollow needle in your low back between two bones in your lower spine below the bottom of the spinal cord where there is still a sac full of fluid.
![spinal tap test spinal tap test](https://casereports.bmj.com/content/casereports/2017/bcr-2017-221447/F1.large.jpg)
Spinal tap test skin#
Or you'll sit with your arms and head resting on a table.Īfter the skin around your lower back is cleansed and covered, you’ll get medicine to numb that part of your body. To start, you’ll lie on your side with your knees drawn as close to your chest as possible. It contains proteins, sugar, and other substances that can be found in the blood. This test checks the pressure and content of the fluid. And if you're allergic to latex or any medications, tell your doctor. Doctors will perform a spinal tap to get a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord). In most cases, you’ll need to stop taking any blood thinner medicines, including aspirin, for a few days beforehand. You don’t have to do anything to get ready, unless your doctor gives you special instructions. It must be part of the total picture of testing for the disease.
![spinal tap test spinal tap test](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/STHKFlO-zBw/maxresdefault.jpg)
So a spinal tap by itself can't confirm or rule out a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. If someone’s CSF doesn’t have these proteins, though, they might still have multiple sclerosis - 5% to 10% of people with the condition never show signs in their spinal fluid.Īlso, these signs can show up in a number of other diseases, too. If you have the condition, your CSF (spinal fluid) will have higher amounts of certain proteins. The results of the procedure can help doctors see whether your body’s immune system is attacking itself, which is what happens in multiple sclerosis. How Does a Lumbar Puncture Help Diagnose MS? It helps them diagnose disorders of the brain and spinal cord, including multiple sclerosis.
![spinal tap test spinal tap test](https://d33ljpvc0tflz5.cloudfront.net/dims3/MMH/e9a51c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/401x261+30+0/resize/1536x1000!/quality/75/?url=https:%2F%2Fd26ua9paks4zq.cloudfront.net%2F62%2F6a%2F7b90c5ca479abc8af9d167c46f95%2Flumbar.puncture.spinal.tap._Proc.A1_460x261_DM_13771262.jpg)
The test is also used to measure pressure in the spinal fluid. CSF acts as a cushion, protecting the brain and spine from injury. A lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap, is a procedure doctors use to remove and test some of this liquid, called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection is a test to look at the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Your brain and spinal cord are bathed in fluid.