Siderophages are referred to as activated, tissue-resident macrophages that contain hemosiderin from decayed or phagocytized red blood cells.

Clinical Relevance

In neurosurgery, siderophages play a diagnostic role in cerebrospinal fluid analysis when there is suspicion of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. The presence of siderophages in the cerebrospinal fluid is a reliable sign of a previous hemorrhage in the subarachnoid space[^1].

Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis

Siderophages can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid from the 4th day onwards in cases of traumatic or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and are detectable in the cerebrospinal fluid for up to 120 days in total[^1] [^2].

CSF Siderophage — Cerebrospinal fluid specimen, pappenheim stain with siderophage and many ertyhrocytes. Image adapted from Wikimedia Commons.