A Survey of the Application of the “Molecular” Membrane Filter to the Study of Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid cells were fixed by adding neutral formalin to the fluid. This procedure introduced artifacts. A partially successful attempt was made to negate the effects of the fixation artifacts. A comparison of centrifugation and "molecular membrane filtration" was then made. Filtration is not only a more rapid means of concentrating cells, but it provides a more representative sample of cell types than does centrifugation. While total cell counts may be made better by the routine wet-chamber direct method, the filter may be useful for differential counts. With the filter it is possible to open a previously unexplored field for study. Where the direct count is nearly normal in connection with an obviously diseased condition, the filter may reveal abnormalities by concentrating cell types irrespective of their densities.