Biomaterial Database

Malignant meningitis: a rational approach to cerebrospinal fluid cytology. 1996

J M MacKenzie

Department of Pathology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

OBJECTIVE To clarify laboratory guidelines for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. METHODS Clinical and pathological data relating to 54 patients with cytologically malignant cells in the CSF were reviewed, together with CSF cell counts and protein measurements for 29 patients. Utilising this data, criteria were established for CSF cytology and validated by review of 100 patients in whom CSF cytology had not been carried out on the basis of these criteria. RESULTS There was only one false positive diagnosis of malignancy on the basis of CSF cytology. All patients with malignant cells in the CSF fulfilled at least one of the following criteria: clinically known or suspected malignancy; raised cell count; raised protein concentration. In none of the 100 patients, in whom cytology was not performed, was the diagnosis of malignant meningitis missed. CONCLUSIONS Cytology should be performed on CSF specimens from all patients with known, or suspected, malignancy, but in other cases, only if the cell count or protein concentration, or both, is raised.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D008581	Meningitis	Inflammation of the coverings of the brain and/or spinal cord, which consist of the PIA MATER; ARACHNOID; and DURA MATER. Infections (viral, bacterial, and fungal) are the most common causes of this condition, but subarachnoid hemorrhage (HEMORRHAGES, SUBARACHNOID), chemical irritation (chemical MENINGITIS), granulomatous conditions, neoplastic conditions (CARCINOMATOUS MENINGITIS), and other inflammatory conditions may produce this syndrome. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1994, Ch24, p6)	Pachymeningitis,Meningitides,Pachymeningitides
D009369	Neoplasms	New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms.	Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D011237	Predictive Value of Tests	In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test.	Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D002277	Carcinoma	A malignant neoplasm made up of epithelial cells tending to infiltrate the surrounding tissues and give rise to metastases. It is a histological type of neoplasm and not a synonym for "cancer."	Carcinoma, Anaplastic,Carcinoma, Spindle-Cell,Carcinoma, Undifferentiated,Carcinomatosis,Epithelial Neoplasms, Malignant,Epithelioma,Epithelial Tumors, Malignant,Malignant Epithelial Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Malignant Epithelial,Anaplastic Carcinoma,Anaplastic Carcinomas,Carcinoma, Spindle Cell,Carcinomas,Carcinomatoses,Epithelial Neoplasm, Malignant,Epithelial Tumor, Malignant,Epitheliomas,Malignant Epithelial Neoplasm,Malignant Epithelial Tumor,Malignant Epithelial Tumors,Neoplasm, Malignant Epithelial,Spindle-Cell Carcinoma,Spindle-Cell Carcinomas,Tumor, Malignant Epithelial,Undifferentiated Carcinoma,Undifferentiated Carcinomas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000230	Adenocarcinoma	A malignant epithelial tumor with a glandular organization.	Adenocarcinoma, Basal Cell,Adenocarcinoma, Granular Cell,Adenocarcinoma, Oxyphilic,Adenocarcinoma, Tubular,Adenoma, Malignant,Carcinoma, Cribriform,Carcinoma, Granular Cell,Carcinoma, Tubular,Adenocarcinomas,Adenocarcinomas, Basal Cell,Adenocarcinomas, Granular Cell,Adenocarcinomas, Oxyphilic,Adenocarcinomas, Tubular,Adenomas, Malignant,Basal Cell Adenocarcinoma,Basal Cell Adenocarcinomas,Carcinomas, Cribriform,Carcinomas, Granular Cell,Carcinomas, Tubular,Cribriform Carcinoma,Cribriform Carcinomas,Granular Cell Adenocarcinoma,Granular Cell Adenocarcinomas,Granular Cell Carcinoma,Granular Cell Carcinomas,Malignant Adenoma,Malignant Adenomas,Oxyphilic Adenocarcinoma,Oxyphilic Adenocarcinomas,Tubular Adenocarcinoma,Tubular Adenocarcinomas,Tubular Carcinoma,Tubular Carcinomas
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D016543	Central Nervous System Neoplasms	Benign and malignant neoplastic processes that arise from or secondarily involve the brain, spinal cord, or meninges.	CNS Neoplasm,CNS Neoplasms,Central Nervous System Neoplasm,Central Nervous System Tumor,Neoplasms, Central Nervous System,Primary Central Nervous System Neoplasm,Central Nervous System Neoplasms, Primary,Central Nervous System Tumors,Primary Central Nervous System Neoplasms,Tumors, Central Nervous System,Neoplasm, CNS,Neoplasms, CNS