Urinalysis and Body Fluids 6th Edition by Majorie DiLorenzo, Susan Strasinger

Exercise 21

A web-like pellicle in a refrigerated CSF specimen indicates:

A. Tubercular meningitis

B. Multiple sclerosis

C. Primary CNS malignancy

D. Viral meningitis

Step 1 of 2

Web-like pellicle appearance of CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid):

It is one of the terms used to describe CSF appearance.

• Crystal-clear CSF provides significant diagnostic information

• The chief terminology used to describe appearance of CSF includes cloudy or turbid, xanthochromic, crystal-clear, bloody, and milky

• The overnight refrigerated CSF fluid forms web-like pellicle

• Web-like pellicle appearance is caused due to filtration of protein, which is associated with disorders that affects blood-brain barrier

• Clotting factors also cause pellicle appearance due to tubercular meningitis

Therefore, web-like pellicle appearance in refrigerated specimen of CSF indicates “tubercular meningitis”. Hence, the correct answer is option.