UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Xanthochromia in CSF

Category: Neurology

Keywords: xanthochromia, intracranial bleed, cerebrospinal fluid, CSF (PubMed Search)

Posted: 11/1/2007 by Aisha Liferidge, MD (Updated: 12/26/2024)
Click here to contact Aisha Liferidge, MD

Xanthochromia is the result of metabolized hemoglobin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which suggests intracranial bleed.
It helps differentiate traumatic lumbar puncture results from true intracranial bleeding.
It causes the CSF to have a yellowish color which can be detected with the naked eye or analyzed with a machine (done visually at UMMS).
It typically takes at least 6 hours for xanthochromia to manifest itself.