Laboratory Diagnosis in Neurology

A practice-oriented reference for the laboratory diagnosis of neurologic diseases up-to-date, comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated, "Laboratory Diagnosis in Neurology" presents all the measuring parameters and methods relevant to the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and tissues affected by neurologic disease and syndromes. Following an introduction to basic concepts, the book guides clinicians through the methods of CSF analysis, neurochemical examinations, clinical applications of neuroimmunology, microbiology and virology, neurogenetic tests, and evaluation of biopsies. Readers will learn about the equipment and various procedures, and how to effectively differentiate similar methods. In the final section of the book, the authors provide a systematic introduction to the pathophysiology and laboratory findings for specific clinical disorders, indications for particular test methods, and criteria for diagnostic interpretation. It features: clear presentation of pearls, pitfalls, and practical tips in blue boxes for at-a-glance review; contributions by neurologists, psychiatrists with experience in laboratory analysis, clinical chemists, and neurochemists; more than 140 high-quality illustrations, mostly in full color, demonstrating common findings; and, an appendix with basic rules for interpreting disease-specific patterns, recommendations for quality control, and a list of the most important reference values. An indispensable tool for neurologists, laboratory physicians, and pathologists, this book is also a valuable reference for neurosurgeons, internists, and psychiatrists.
Contents

Basics:
1 The Cerebrospinal Flud - Its Production and Circulation in the Subarachnoid Space
2 Blood-Brain Barrier and Blood-CSF Barrier Function
3 Dynamics of Serum and Brain Proteins in the CSF and Blood
Analysis:
4 Basic Methods of Analysis
5 Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis
6 Serum Analysis
7 Autoantibodies and Antineural Antibodies
8 Neurogenetics
9 Biopsy Clinical Pictures:
10 Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases
11 Dementia and Psychiatric Disorders
12 Cerebral Ischemia and Hemorrhage
13 Polyneuropathy
14 Pseudotumor Cerebri, Ventricular Drainage, and Neurosurgery
15 Epileptic Seizures
16 Brain Tumors
17 Metabolic Disorders
18 Parasitosis and Tropical Diseases
Appendix:
19 CSF Reports
20 Quality Control of Protein Analysis
21 Reference Ranges of Analytes in CSF and Serum.