Sedimentation versus cytocentrifugation in the cytologic study of craniospinal fluid.

A sedimentation technique for cytologic study of CSF was compared with the standard cytocentrifugation method. Seventy-five samples from 37 children with leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were processed by both methods. Total yield of cells and cytomorphology with differentials were analyzed. The techniques are comparable and both allow good cytologic study of the CSF even with very low cell counts/mm3. The sedimentation method can be used as an alternative, especially if a cytocentrifuge is not available. When both methods are used, the possibility of negative cell yield is decreased.