Xanthochromia

Excerpt

Xanthochromia was originally a broad term used to describe the pigmentation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as pink or yellow. 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 now is 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.