[Diagnostic value of cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid with the millipore membrane filter technique].

With the millipore membrane filter (MP) technic 280 samples of CSF from 203 cases with different diseases involving the central nervous system were studied. 76 of these samples were examined with the slide centrifuge technic simultaneously for comparison. In accordance with the pathological cell components (transformed lymphocytes, plasmocytes, different phagocytes, granular neurocytes and tumor cells) as well as the clinical data, the diagnostic results could be divided into three groups. The diagnoses were definitely established in 19.6% of the cases with the cytological examination of the CSF. The diagnoses were suggestive in 50.7% and not established with the cytological examination of the CSF in 29.6%. With intracranial infection, demyelinating disease, cerebrovascular accidents and brain tumors an overall higher positive diagnostic rate of 76.8% was obtained and with other neurological disorders it was only 19.2% (P less than 0.001). The advantages and disadvantages of the MP technic were compared with those of the slide centrifuge and sedimentation chamber technics. The limitation of the staining method for the MP slides remained to be further studied. More than two technics for concentrating CSF cells were recommended to be in use for the time being.