Spinal/Lumbar Puncture
A spinal tap is a procedure performed when a doctor needs to look at the cerebrospinal fluid (also known as spinal fluid) surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Learn More About Spinal/Lumbar Puncture
A lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap) is a minimally invasive, image-guided diagnostic test that involves the removal of a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)—the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord—or an injection of medication or other substance into the lumbar (or lower) region of the spinal column.
Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, colorless liquid that delivers nutrients to and cushions the brain and spinal cord.
A lumbar puncture can help diagnose serious infections, such as meningitis; other disorders of the central nervous system, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis; or cancers of the brain or spinal cord. Sometimes doctors use lumbar puncture to inject anesthetic medications or chemotherapy drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid.
Our interventional department provides procedures that many times are routinely performed in a hospital setting. We offer these services in the outpatient setting with your comfort in mind.
Our dedicated registered nurses provide your physician easy access for scheduling of procedures. We strive to perform your procedure at the scheduled time and offer convenient, easy access to our facility and ample parking.
Your physician’s office should contact one of our registered nurses to schedule your procedure. We will then contact you, schedule your appointment, and give you pre-procedure instructions.
Following the procedure, one of our Musculoskeletal Radiologists will interpret your exam and send a report to your physician within 5 business days. Contact your referring physician for any information pertaining to the findings.
Typically your referring physician will schedule an appointment for you. If you have been asked to schedule the appointment yourself, please have your physician’s order and any pre-authorization information required by your insurance or health plan provider in hand, and call 850-878-4127.
What happens during your procedure can vary considerably depending on the procedure being performed and your specific circumstances. Prior to your procedure, we will explain in detail what to expect. If you have any questions, please call our office and we will be happy to review your procedure.
The procedure is usually completed in 45 minutes. Following the conclusion of the Lumbar Puncture, you will be escorted to a recovery area where vital signs and observations are made for one to two hours. You will need someone to drive you home. You may resume normal activity as tolerated.
For more information on this and other radiology procedures, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org.
Interventional Radiology is an area of radiology that specializes in performing minimally invasive, image-guided procedures. Many of these procedures have become the treatment of choice in many cases because they offer lower risk, less pain, and shorter recovery time compared to traditional surgical techniques.
For more information on this and other radiology procedures, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org.