Medical Encyclopedia

Medical Encyclopedia

CSF oligoclonal banding - series: Procedure, part 3

 Procedure, part 3

CSF oligoclonal banding - series
Illustrations:

  • Normal anatomy
  • Indications
  • Procedure, part 1
  • Procedure, part 2
  • Procedure, part 3
  • Both the samples are added to a gel, which is then filtered through a cartridge. The gel separates the proteins in each sample and the lab looks for oligoclonal banding.

    Results:

    Normal:

    One or less bandings found in the CSF is normal.

    Abnormal:

    Results are considered abnormal if there are 2 or more bandings found in the CSF and not in the blood serum. This may indicate multiple sclerosis (MS). CSF oligoclonal bands are found in 83% to 94% of patients with definite MS. Other causes of oligoclonal banding in CSF include encephalitis, meningitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, polyneuritis, headache, and other conditions.

    Update Date: 4/30/2007

    Updated by: Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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