A lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap) is a procedure to collect and look at the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. A thin needle is inserted into the spinal canal

At Haematology Day Stay these are done routinely for diagnosis of certain conditions, when a small amount of CSF is removed for analyse in the laboratory.

Treatment with Chemotherapy may also be inserted into the spinal fluid for certain conditions.