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Book

Xanthochromia

Carla Dugas  1 , Zohaib Jamal  2 , Pradeep C. Bollu  3
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Book

Xanthochromia

Carla Dugas et al.
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Excerpt

Xanthochromia is derived from the Greek word "xanthos," meaning yellow. The term was first used to describe the pink or yellow pigmentation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This color change is attributed to varying concentrations of pigmented compounds such as oxyhemoglobin, bilirubin, and methemoglobin, which are typically the byproducts of red blood cell degradation. The term is now more widely accepted to represent the yellow color created by the presence of bilirubin in the CSF. The presence of bilirubin resulting in yellow discoloration of the CSF is the contemporary definition of xanthochromia. It can be diagnosed by 2 methods: the traditional visualization or eye test and the more sensitive and specific spectrophotometry.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Carla Dugas declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Zohaib Jamal declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Pradeep Bollu declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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