Abstract: For the purpose of evaluating the laboratory tests for tuberculous meningitis, 20 cases tuberculous meningitis and 28 cases non tuberculous meningitis children were studied by polymerase chain reaction,anti-PPD antibody, smear and adenosine deaminase in cerebrospinal fluid. The results showed that all the tests were all different markedly in the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity of the four tests were 85% and 89.3%, 55% and 85.7%, 5% and 100%, 85% and 82.1% reapectively. The polymerase chain reaction were highest in sensitivity and specificity in the four tests. It was suggested that polymerase chain reaction would be the most useful method for the rapidly diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.