Journal of general internal medicine
-
Inappropriate use of diagnostic tests contributes to rising healthcare expenditures, and improving appropriate utilization rates is important for high-value patient care. The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test performed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has historically been improperly utilized, although there is no recent evaluation of its use in clinical practice. ⋯ Inappropriate use of CSF-VDRL testing for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis remains problematic in clinical practice. Following recommended testing algorithms would prevent unnecessary testing and minimize false-positive results.