CSF

About a week ago  I had a lumber puncture. I don't understand 2 of the results.  What does it mean when there is evidence of 9 oligoclonal bands?  Also, the test named igG(S). has a result of 544 mg/dl.  The normal range is 767-1590 , what does this infer?           Suebil

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you? Oligoclonal bands are bands of immunoglobulins that are seen when a patient's blood plasma, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is analyzed.  Oligoclonal bands are an important indicators for several diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lymphoproliferative disease, SLE and other autoimmune diseases. Immunoglobulin G  or IgG, the most abundant type of antibody, is usually found in all body fluids and protects against bacterial and viral infections. Antibody testing such as with IgG help provide  information about immune system functioning, especially relating to infection or autoimmune disease. It is best that you discuss the results with your doctor for proper diagnosis and to correlate with any symptoms present. Take care and do keep us posted.