Lumbar puncture

A lumbar puncture (often called spinal tap, by non-doctors) is a medical method to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (fluid from the brain). This can be done to analyse the sample, to find some hints to diseases. It can also be done to lower the pressure of the fluid inside the skull.

Lumbar Puncture Media

• Spinal Tap.png

  Illustration depicting lumbar puncture (spinal tap)

• Spinal needles.jpg

  Spinal needles used in lumbar puncture

• Blausen 0617 LumbarPuncture.png

  Illustration depicting common positions for lumbar puncture procedure

• Spinal tap newborn.JPG

  Lumbar puncture in a child suspected of having meningitis

• Meningitis - Lumbar puncture.jpg

  Lumbar puncture, early 20th century