RT Book, Section A1 Pfennig, Camiron L. A1 Brown, B. Ethan A2 Knoop, Kevin J. A2 Stack, Lawrence B. A2 Storrow, Alan B. A2 Thurman, R. Jason SR Print(0) ID 1181053103 T1 Cerebral Spinal Fluid T2 The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e YR 2021 FD 2021 PB McGraw-Hill PP New York, NY SN 9781260134940 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181053103 RD 2024/10/04 AB Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is normally colorless and clear. Analysis provides clues to infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, abscess) and noninfectious diseases (subarachnoid hemorrhage, Guillain-Barré syndrome, transverse myelitis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, vasculitis, carcinomatosis, multiple sclerosis, paraneoplastic syndromes). The presence of xanthochromia (see Fig. 25.58) in the context of recent onset of severe headache suggests a spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage. Turbid fluid (see Fig. 25.59) obtained from a patient with headache and neck stiffness suggests meningitis.