Table 1.

Scoring system developed by Mair et al.⁷ to classify quality of cytological aspirate

Criterion	Qualitative description	Point score
Background blood or clot	Large amount; great compromise to diagnosis	0
	Moderate amount; diagnosis possible	1
	Minimal diagnosis easy; specimen of ‘textbook’ quality	2
Amount of cellular material	Minimal to absent; diagnosis not possible	0
	Sufficient for diagnosis	1
	Abundant; diagnosis simple	2
Degree of cellular degeneration	Marked; diagnosis impossible	0
	Moderate; diagnosis possible	1
	Minimal; good preservation; diagnosis easy	2
Degree of cellular trauma	Marked; diagnosis impossible	0
	Moderate; diagnosis possible	1
	Minimal; diagnosis obvious	2
Retention of appropriate architecture	Minimal to absent; non-diagnostic	0
	Moderate; some preservation of, for example, follicles	1
	Excellent architectural display closely reflecting histology; diagnosis obvious	2