[Tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid and cystic contents in patients with primary and secondary brain tumors].

The authors show the diagnostic significance of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid and in the cystic contents in children and adults with cerebral tumors. 386 samples from 179 patients were examined. The distribution of the positive and suspected findings was as follows: of 94 patients with primary tumors, there were 37 findings (22 positive and 15 suspected); of 27 patients with metastatic tumors, there were 14 findings (14 positive and no suspected ones). The accuracy of the examinations also depended on the sample type; it turned out 16.83% (14.03% positive and 2.80% suspected) for the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid; 28.56% (19.64% positive and 8.92% suspected) for the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid, and 35.54% (17.77% positive and 17.77% suspected) for the cystic contents. The first sample appeared less informative than the following ones. The samples taken beforehand were mostly negative as compared with the postoperative ones.