Culture, Spinal Fluid with Gram Stain

Message

If anaerobic culture is desired , order Culture, Anaerobic Bacteria. If specimen is from a shunt, the anaerobic culture will automatically ordered at an additional charge.
If cryptococcus is suspected order Culture, Fungus at an additonal charge.
If AFB is suspected order Culture Acid-Fast Mycobacterium with Smear at an additional charge.

Test Code

C SF - MM MMC

CPT Codes
87070, 87205, 87015 (if appropriate), 87077 per organism (if appropriate), 87186 per organism (if appropriate)

Preferred Specimen

CSF

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Instructions

Collect CSF using spinal fluid collection kit. Culture will be done on tube #2 unless otherwise requested.
Label container with two patient identifiers (full name, DOB or MR), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Transport Temperature

Ambient

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type	Temperature	Time
CSF	Ambient	1 hour

Methodology
Conventional Culture Media
Note: Every organism identified by a commercial kit must be billed for bacterial identification. Any organism that requires susceptibility testing will be charged for a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC).

Setup Schedule

Monday through Sunday; Continuously

Report Available

3 - 4 days

Reference Range

No growth in 72 hours
Critical value (automatic call-back): positive gram stain or culture.

Clinical Significance

Cerebrospinal fluid cultures are of importance in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges. Causative bacteria vary depending on the patient's age, vaccination status, and recent trauma or instrumentation

Age Group:
0-1 mo (neonates): GBS (Strep. agalactiae), Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes
1 mo - 2 yr: GBS, E.coli, L. monocytogenes, Strep. pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae
2 -50 yr: Strep. pneumoniae, N. meningitdis
>50 yr: S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, L. monocytogenes

Basilar skull fracture or cochlear implant: S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae
Penetrating trauma or neurosurgery: Staphylococcus aureus
Shunt: S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cutibacterium acnes

Performing Laboratory
McKee Medical Center - Microbiology/Molecular Laboratory

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.