National Dementia Diagnostics Laboratory
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Alzheimer Disease Screen
The sample
Routine diagnostic lumbar puncture can be performed any time of day. Fasting is not
required.
1. A volume of CSF is first collected into standard diagnostic tubes for routine
biochemical and microscopic assessments at the point of collection. A further 2-5 ml is
collected directly into a polypropylene tube (and stored in the same tube for
transportation.
Do NOT centrifuge. Record the time of collection on the tube. Each sample is clearly
labelled with a patient identifier.
2. A copy of the original doctor’s request slip, Referral laboratory request form and the
specimen data sheet (download from the website) should accompany the sample. Please
provide accurate billing details with accompanying documentation.
3 Freeze the specimen and store at -20oC and courier batched with other CSF specimens
on dry ice within 2 months of lumbar puncture.
4. Please provide routine cell counts and biochemistry results as soon as possible to
facilitate interpretation of the assay results and also avoid testing unsuitable CSF
specimens.
5. Please notify our laboratory that the CSF sample is being sent.
Information about the test
1. The CSF samples will be run in batches to minimise costs. Current estimates are
fortnightly assays of samples.
2. Unsuitable samples: CSF samples may be deemed unsuitable for testing if they display
any of the following2: very elevated protein levels (>1g/L); evidence of pleocytosis;
significant blood contamination (>500 RBCs/μl); or if there is greater than 24 hours
delay between lumbar puncture and receipt of the specimen and the sample has not
been stored according to the sampling protocol. The referring laboratory/clinician will be
contacted upon receipt of such samples and advised.
3. Fees: Currently Nil. Charging will commence in near future (An estimate is Aus$190
for testing three proteins per CSF specimen). This costing is based on batching. Testing
may be possible prior to routine batching however the costing will increase. Please
contact the laboratory for a quotation.
Reporting Results
The result will be reported by mail and/or email to the referring laboratory and
requesting medical practitioner.
Contact/Courier details:
Dr Qiao-Xin Li, National Dementia Diagnostics Laboratory, The Florey Institute of
Neuroscience and
Mental Health, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade (corner of Genetics Lane),
University of
Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, email: q.li@unimelb.edu.au, Phone: (03) 9035 7243,
Facsimile: (03)
9035 3105.