Table 1: The lancet concensus scoring system [2].
| Diagnostic score | |
| Clinical criteria | (maximum = 6) |
| Symptoms of fever more than 5 days | 4 |
| Systemic symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis: weight loss or night sweats, or persistent cough for more than 2 weeks | 2 |
| Focal neurological deficit | 1 |
| Cranial nerve palsy | 1 |
| Altered consciousness | 1 |
| CSF criteria | (maximum = 4) |
| Clear appearance | 1 |
| Cells (10-500 per microliter) | 1 |
| Lymphocytic predominance (> 50%) | 1 |
| Protein concentration (> 1 g/L) | 1 |
| CSF to plasma glucose ratio of < 50% or an absolute CSF glucose concentration < 2.2 mmol/L | 1 |
| Cerebral imaging criteria | (maximum = 6) |
| Hydrocephalus | 1 |
| Basal meningeal enhancement | 2 |
| Tuberculoma | 2 |
| Infarct | 1 |
| Pre-contrast basal hyperdensity | 2 |
| Evidence of tuberculosis elsewhere | (maximum = 4) |
| Chest radiograph: signs if tuberculosis = 2; military tuberculosis = 4 | 2/4 |
| CT/MRI/ultrasound evidence for tuberculosis (outside CNS) | 2 |
| AFB identified or Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultured from another source - such as sputum, lymph node, gastric washing, urine, blood culture | 2 |
CT = Computed Tomogram, MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging, CNS = Central Nervous System, CSF = Cerebrospinal Fluid, AFB = Acid-Fast Bacilli.