Navy Lab Tech 68K UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
CSF 3 Functions - CORRECT ANSWER - Nutrients
Waste
Protection
Meninges 3 Layers - CORRECT ANSWER - Dura
Arachnoid
Pita Mater
Choroid Plexuses - CORRECT ANSWER - Produce CSF at constant, person-specific rate,
20 mL / hr approx.
CSF Volume - CORRECT ANSWER - 90-150 mL adults
10-60 mL babes
Mechanisms of Producing CSF - CORRECT ANSWER - Selective filtration, hydrostatic
pressure, active transport
Blood Brain Barrier - CORRECT ANSWER - Tight junctions, allow Leukocytes, proteins,
and certain chemicals prevents antibodies and many medications
Spinal Tab Tubes - CORRECT ANSWER - 1 - Chem / Serology - Frozen
2 - Microbio - RT
3 - Heme - Fridge
4 - additional testing - frozen
,Cloudy, Turbid, Milky CSF - CORRECT ANSWER - Proteins, Lipids, or WBC
(infection)
Xanthochrimic CSF Spectrum - CORRECT ANSWER - Pink (Fresh oxyhemoglobin) (less
hemolysis)
Orange
Yellow (Unconjugated bilirubin) (more hemolysis)
Sample starts hemolyzing after 2 HRs
ICH vs Traumatic TAP - CORRECT ANSWER - Vial Distrobution - even blood
contamination w/ ICH
Clotting - ICH does not clot (unless BBB is damaged w/ meningitis, groin system but won't
appear bloody)
Microscopic - Erythrophagocytosis and hemosiderin granules in ICH
CSF Cell Count Most Common - CORRECT ANSWER - WBC Count (0-5 WBC / uL)
though higher in newborns
CSF Cell Count Methodology - CORRECT ANSWER - 5 squares on Hemacytometer on
Both sides = 10 total
Count - Normal Saline
WBC Count - 3% acetic acid
CSF Diff Methodology - CORRECT ANSWER - Stained smear not hemocytometer
, Concentrated prior to smear (typically cytocentrifuge or normal centrifugal ion)
Count 100 Cells or whatever you can find
CSF Primary Cells - CORRECT ANSWER - Lymphocytes and Monocytes (70:30 in
Adults but reversed in Children)
Pleocytosis - CORRECT ANSWER - increased numbers of *normal cells* in the
cerebrospinal fluid
CSF High Neutrophils Indicates - CORRECT ANSWER - Bacterial Infection (and *early
stages* of all others)
CNS Hemorrhage, Repeated lumbar punctures, Medications/Dyes
CSF Elevated Lymphocytes / Monocytes - CORRECT ANSWER - Viral, TB, Fungal,
Parasitic Meningitis
NRBCs in CSF - CORRECT ANSWER - Bone marrow contamination (approx. 1%
samples)
CSF - Eosinophils - CORRECT ANSWER - Parasites, Fungal, foreign material
CSF macrophages - CORRECT ANSWER - Debris, Hemorrhage (2-4 hrs) (shows
hemosiderin and hematoidin (unconjugated rhombic crystals)
NonSignificant Cells CSF - CORRECT ANSWER - Choroidal - epithelial lining, clumps
or single
Ependymal - ventricles and neural canal, clusters