Lumbar puncture

Lumbar puncture is a commonly-performed hospital procedure in which a needle is inserted through the back to the subarachnoid space in the spinal canal often to collect some cerebrospinal fluid or inject a therapeutic agent. The procedure can be performed under imaging guidance, e.g. fluoroscopy, CT or ultrasound-guided. In many locations, imaging-guided lumbar punctures are increasingly the norm 3. Article: • • • • • Indications • CSF sampling (for suspected • opening pressure measurements • large volume taps (30-40 mL) can be performed as a diagnostic procedure to assess short-term relief of symptoms of • administration of intrathecal chemotherapy • administration of contrast (e.g. 1,4 Contraindications • severe bleeding disorders, extreme thrombocytopenia • suspected epidural abscess or infections in the line of entry • deformation of / trauma to the lumbar vertebrae • brain tumor, abscess, or other lesions that cause Procedure Preprocedural evaluation Due to the possibility of brain herniation in patients with Technique The basic equipment for the procedure should be gathered beforehand and may include needles, specimen bottles and tubes, and Blind Blind lumbar punctures are usually performed with patients in a decubitus position with their knees bent towards their chest. Aseptic technique is mandatory. Local anesthesia can be given. With manual palpation, the performer identifies L3, L4, and L5, then guides a needle through the opening between the Image-guided • • • P...

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is a test used to diagnose conditions that affect the central nervous system. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear liquid that is produced mostly in the ventricles of the brain. It surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord, which make up the A doctor will collect a sample of fluid from a person’s lower back during a procedure called a lumbar puncture, which is also known as a spinal tap. Share on Pinterest Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and spinal cord. Autoimmune conditions, such as Doctors can also identify certain The CSF analysis test can also diagnose In cases of infectious diseases causing The blood-brain barrier The brain and the bloodstream are separated by the blood-brain barrier. This barrier stops large molecules, toxins, and most blood cells traveling from the blood into the brain. The spinal cord and bloodstream also have a blood-spinal cord barrier. If a person has a condition that affects the CNS, it will disrupt the blood-brain barrier, which can usually be detected by changes in the composition of the spinal fluid. What is CSF? CSF surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord. About This fluid has several functions. It protects the brain by acting as a cushion and can remove harmful substances, including drugs. CSF helps keep the pressure in the skull cavity and spinal canal at constant levels. It also transports hormones from where they are produced to parts of the brain where they are needed. Share ...

Overview Spinal headaches are a fairly common complication in those who undergo a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) or spinal anesthesia. Both procedures require a puncture of the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord and, in the lower spine, the lumbar and sacral nerve roots. During a spinal tap, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawn from the spinal canal. During spinal anesthesia, medication is injected into the spinal canal to numb the nerves in the lower half of the body. If spinal fluid leaks through the tiny puncture site, you may develop a spinal headache. Symptoms Spinal headache symptoms include: • Dull, throbbing pain that varies in intensity from mild to very severe • Pain that typically gets worse when you sit up or stand and decreases or goes away when you lie down Spinal headaches are often accompanied by: • Dizziness • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) • Hearing loss • Blurred or double vision • Sensitivity to light (photophobia) • Nausea and vomiting • Neck pain or stiffness • Seizures When to see a doctor Tell your health care provider if you develop a headache after a spinal tap or spinal anesthesia — especially if the headache gets worse when you sit up or stand. Causes Spinal headaches are caused by leakage of spinal fluid through a puncture hole in the membrane (dura mater) that surrounds the spinal cord. This leakage decreases the pressure exerted by the spinal fluid on the brain and spinal cord, which leads to a headache. Spinal headaches typically ...

A lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap, is an image-guided procedure that helps to diagnose or treat certain diseases and conditions. During the procedure, a hollow needle, or cannula, is used to penetrate the spinal canal at the level of the third-to-fourth or fourth-to-fifth lumbar vertebra. Fluoroscopy is a continuous X-ray that shows images on a computer monitor. This is used during a lumbar puncture to help guide the needle insertion between two lumbar vertebrae and then into the spinal cord. A lumbar puncture removes a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord and brain to protect them from injury. A small amount of CSF can be examined for the diagnosis of various disorders. Lumbar Puncture: What You Need to Know • A lumbar puncture may be used to help diagnose diseases and conditions such as • Lumbar puncture may also be used to measure the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid that flows between the brain and spinal column. Patient Resources Why Choose Johns Hopkins Radiology for Lumbar Puncture? Our Physicians Our diagnostic radiologists have subspecialty training in neuroradiology. Our state-of-the-art equipment and technology is combined with providing the highest level of patient care.

Enter search terms to find related medical topics, multimedia and more. Advanced Search: • Use “ “ for phrases o [ “pediatric abdominal pain” ] • Use – to remove results with certain terms o [ “abdominal pain” –pediatric ] • Use OR to account for alternate terms o [teenager OR adolescent ] Search A-Z When it is difficult to palpate landmarks (eg, because of obesity), lumbar puncture can be done by a neuroradiologist using fluoroscopic guidance. Ultrasonography can also be used to identify landmarks and, less commonly, to guide needle placement in real time if equipment and personnel are available. However, ultrasonography is still not commonly used outside of teaching centers. (See also Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) Lumbar puncture is used to do the following: Evaluate intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition (see table Cerebrospinal Fluid Abnormalities in Various Disorders) Therapeutically... read more , Overview of Meningitis Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space. It may result from infections, other disorders, or reactions to drugs. Severity and acuity vary. Findings typically include... read more , and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) Subarachnoid hemorrhage is sudden bleeding into the subarachnoid space. The most common cause of spontaneous bleeding is a ruptured aneurysm. Symptoms include sudden, severe headache, usually... read more .) Indications Suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection ( Acute Bacterial Mening...

Overview Spinal headaches are a fairly common complication in those who undergo a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) or spinal anesthesia. Both procedures require a puncture of the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord and, in the lower spine, the lumbar and sacral nerve roots. During a spinal tap, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawn from the spinal canal. During spinal anesthesia, medication is injected into the spinal canal to numb the nerves in the lower half of the body. If spinal fluid leaks through the tiny puncture site, you may develop a spinal headache. Symptoms Spinal headache symptoms include: • Dull, throbbing pain that varies in intensity from mild to very severe • Pain that typically gets worse when you sit up or stand and decreases or goes away when you lie down Spinal headaches are often accompanied by: • Dizziness • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) • Hearing loss • Blurred or double vision • Sensitivity to light (photophobia) • Nausea and vomiting • Neck pain or stiffness • Seizures When to see a doctor Tell your health care provider if you develop a headache after a spinal tap or spinal anesthesia — especially if the headache gets worse when you sit up or stand. Causes Spinal headaches are caused by leakage of spinal fluid through a puncture hole in the membrane (dura mater) that surrounds the spinal cord. This leakage decreases the pressure exerted by the spinal fluid on the brain and spinal cord, which leads to a headache. Spinal headaches typically ...

A lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap, is an image-guided procedure that helps to diagnose or treat certain diseases and conditions. During the procedure, a hollow needle, or cannula, is used to penetrate the spinal canal at the level of the third-to-fourth or fourth-to-fifth lumbar vertebra. Fluoroscopy is a continuous X-ray that shows images on a computer monitor. This is used during a lumbar puncture to help guide the needle insertion between two lumbar vertebrae and then into the spinal cord. A lumbar puncture removes a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord and brain to protect them from injury. A small amount of CSF can be examined for the diagnosis of various disorders. Lumbar Puncture: What You Need to Know • A lumbar puncture may be used to help diagnose diseases and conditions such as • Lumbar puncture may also be used to measure the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid that flows between the brain and spinal column. Patient Resources Why Choose Johns Hopkins Radiology for Lumbar Puncture? Our Physicians Our diagnostic radiologists have subspecialty training in neuroradiology. Our state-of-the-art equipment and technology is combined with providing the highest level of patient care.

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is a test used to diagnose conditions that affect the central nervous system. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear liquid that is produced mostly in the ventricles of the brain. It surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord, which make up the A doctor will collect a sample of fluid from a person’s lower back during a procedure called a lumbar puncture, which is also known as a spinal tap. Share on Pinterest Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and spinal cord. Autoimmune conditions, such as Doctors can also identify certain The CSF analysis test can also diagnose In cases of infectious diseases causing The blood-brain barrier The brain and the bloodstream are separated by the blood-brain barrier. This barrier stops large molecules, toxins, and most blood cells traveling from the blood into the brain. The spinal cord and bloodstream also have a blood-spinal cord barrier. If a person has a condition that affects the CNS, it will disrupt the blood-brain barrier, which can usually be detected by changes in the composition of the spinal fluid. What is CSF? CSF surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord. About This fluid has several functions. It protects the brain by acting as a cushion and can remove harmful substances, including drugs. CSF helps keep the pressure in the skull cavity and spinal canal at constant levels. It also transports hormones from where they are produced to parts of the brain where they are needed. Share ...

Lumbar puncture is a commonly-performed hospital procedure in which a needle is inserted through the back to the subarachnoid space in the spinal canal often to collect some cerebrospinal fluid or inject a therapeutic agent. The procedure can be performed under imaging guidance, e.g. fluoroscopy, CT or ultrasound-guided. In many locations, imaging-guided lumbar punctures are increasingly the norm 3. Article: • • • • • Indications • CSF sampling (for suspected • opening pressure measurements • large volume taps (30-40 mL) can be performed as a diagnostic procedure to assess short-term relief of symptoms of • administration of intrathecal chemotherapy • administration of contrast (e.g. 1,4 Contraindications • severe bleeding disorders, extreme thrombocytopenia • suspected epidural abscess or infections in the line of entry • deformation of / trauma to the lumbar vertebrae • brain tumor, abscess, or other lesions that cause Procedure Preprocedural evaluation Due to the possibility of brain herniation in patients with Technique The basic equipment for the procedure should be gathered beforehand and may include needles, specimen bottles and tubes, and Blind Blind lumbar punctures are usually performed with patients in a decubitus position with their knees bent towards their chest. Aseptic technique is mandatory. Local anesthesia can be given. With manual palpation, the performer identifies L3, L4, and L5, then guides a needle through the opening between the Image-guided • • • P...

Enter search terms to find related medical topics, multimedia and more. Advanced Search: • Use “ “ for phrases o [ “pediatric abdominal pain” ] • Use – to remove results with certain terms o [ “abdominal pain” –pediatric ] • Use OR to account for alternate terms o [teenager OR adolescent ] Search A-Z When it is difficult to palpate landmarks (eg, because of obesity), lumbar puncture can be done by a neuroradiologist using fluoroscopic guidance. Ultrasonography can also be used to identify landmarks and, less commonly, to guide needle placement in real time if equipment and personnel are available. However, ultrasonography is still not commonly used outside of teaching centers. (See also Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) Lumbar puncture is used to do the following: Evaluate intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition (see table Cerebrospinal Fluid Abnormalities in Various Disorders) Therapeutically... read more , Overview of Meningitis Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space. It may result from infections, other disorders, or reactions to drugs. Severity and acuity vary. Findings typically include... read more , and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) Subarachnoid hemorrhage is sudden bleeding into the subarachnoid space. The most common cause of spontaneous bleeding is a ruptured aneurysm. Symptoms include sudden, severe headache, usually... read more .) Indications Suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection ( Acute Bacterial Mening...