Biomaterial Database

Why human color vision cannot reliably detect cerebrospinal fluid xanthochromia. 2005

Axel Petzold, and Geoffrey Keir, and Ted L Sharpe

The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroimmunology, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK. a.petzold@ion.ucl.ac.uk

BACKGROUND Visual assessment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for xanthochromia (yellow color) is practiced by the majority of laboratories worldwide as a means of diagnosing intracranical bleeds. METHODS Colorimetric and spectrophotometric analysis of CSF samples for recognizing the presence of bilirubin either in low concentrations or in the presence of hemolysed blood. RESULTS The experiments provide the physiological and colorimetric basis for abandoning visual assessment of CSF for xanthochromia. CONCLUSIONS We strongly recommend relying on spectrophotometry as the analytical method of choice.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007755	Laboratories, Hospital	Hospital facilities equipped to carry out investigative procedures.	Hospital Laboratories,Hospital Laboratory,Laboratory, Hospital
D010858	Pigmentation	Coloration or discoloration of a part by a pigment.	Pigmentations
D002543	Cerebral Hemorrhage	Bleeding into one or both CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES including the BASAL GANGLIA and the CEREBRAL CORTEX. It is often associated with HYPERTENSION and CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA.	Brain Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Cerebral Parenchymal Hemorrhage,Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Intracerebral Hemorrhage,Hemorrhage, Cerebrum,Brain Hemorrhages, Cerebral,Cerebral Brain Hemorrhage,Cerebral Brain Hemorrhages,Cerebral Hemorrhages,Cerebral Parenchymal Hemorrhages,Cerebrum Hemorrhage,Cerebrum Hemorrhages,Hemorrhage, Cerebral Brain,Hemorrhage, Cerebral Parenchymal,Hemorrhage, Intracerebral,Hemorrhages, Cerebral,Hemorrhages, Cerebral Brain,Hemorrhages, Cerebral Parenchymal,Hemorrhages, Cerebrum,Hemorrhages, Intracerebral,Intracerebral Hemorrhages,Parenchymal Hemorrhage, Cerebral,Parenchymal Hemorrhages, Cerebral
D002555	Cerebrospinal Fluid	A watery fluid that is continuously produced in the CHOROID PLEXUS and circulates around the surface of the BRAIN; SPINAL CORD; and in the CEREBRAL VENTRICLES.	Cerebro Spinal Fluid,Cerebro Spinal Fluids,Cerebrospinal Fluids,Fluid, Cerebro Spinal,Fluid, Cerebrospinal,Fluids, Cerebro Spinal,Fluids, Cerebrospinal,Spinal Fluid, Cerebro,Spinal Fluids, Cerebro
D002624	Chemistry, Clinical	The specialty of ANALYTIC CHEMISTRY applied to assays of physiologically important substances found in blood, urine, tissues, and other biological fluids for the purpose of aiding the physician in making a diagnosis or following therapy.	Clinical Chemistry
D003118	Color Perception	Mental processing of chromatic signals (COLOR VISION) from the eye by the VISUAL CORTEX where they are converted into symbolic representations. Color perception involves numerous neurons, and is influenced not only by the distribution of wavelengths from the viewed object, but also by its background color and brightness contrast at its boundary.	Color Perceptions,Perception, Color,Perceptions, Color
D003124	Colorimetry	Any technique by which an unknown color is evaluated in terms of standard colors. The technique may be visual, photoelectric, or indirect by means of spectrophotometry. It is used in chemistry and physics. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001663	Bilirubin	A bile pigment that is a degradation product of HEME.	Bilirubin IX alpha,Bilirubin, (15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E,15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, Calcium Salt,Bilirubin, Disodium Salt,Bilirubin, Monosodium Salt,Calcium Bilirubinate,Hematoidin,delta-Bilirubin,Bilirubinate, Calcium,Calcium Salt Bilirubin,Disodium Salt Bilirubin,Monosodium Salt Bilirubin,Salt Bilirubin, Calcium,delta Bilirubin
D013053	Spectrophotometry	The art or process of comparing photometrically the relative intensities of the light in different parts of the spectrum.