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Diagnostic indications

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

These include the diagnosis of:

  • infection - especially, meningitis, although in cases highly clinically suspicious of this, LP should not delay treatment

  • subarachnoid haemorrhage - LP is indicated only for those cases of SAH that are negative on CT scan. Ideally, it should be performed 6 hours after the onset of bleeding to ensure that blood will have reached the lumbar region

  • inflammatory conditions:
    • Guillain Barre syndrome
    • systemic lupus erythematosus
    • sarcoidosis
    • Behcets syndrome

  • multiple sclerosis

  • malignant disease:
    • lymphoma
    • leukaemia
    • paraneoplastic disorders

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