CSF test for syphilis
Venereal disease research laboratory test (VDRL) of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is used to screen for syphilis. CSF is a clear fluid that circulates in the space surrounding the spinal cord.
Review Date:
8/26/2023
Reviewed By:
Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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