Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Pleural effusion echocardiography or ultrasound

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Ultrasonography is helpful in making diagnosis of pleural effusion particularly in differentiating effusion from masses.[1] The extended thoracic spine sign on sonography has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing pleural effusion.[2] Chest or upper abdominal ultrasound may show subpulmonic effusion as shown below.[3][4][5]

Ultrasound

Ultrasound

Ultrasonography is helpful in making diagnosis of pleural effusion particularly in differentiating effusion from masses.[1] The extended thoracic spine sign on sonography has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing pleural effusion.[2] Chest or upper abdominal ultrasound may show subpulmonic effusion as shown below.[3][4][5]

Subpulmonic pleural effusion as shown by ultrasonography – Case courtesy of Dr M Osama Yonso, <a href=”https://radiopaedia.org/“>Radiopaedia.org</a>. From the case <a href=”https://radiopaedia.org/cases/16916“>rID: 16916</a>
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Moore CL, Copel JA (2011). “Point-of-care ultrasonography”. N Engl J Med. 364 (8): 749–57. doi:10.1056/NEJMra0909487. PMID 21345104.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dickman E, Terentiev V, Likourezos A, Derman A, Haines L (2015). “Extension of the Thoracic Spine Sign: A New Sonographic Marker of Pleural Effusion”. J Ultrasound Med. 34 (9): 1555–61. doi:10.7863/ultra.15.14.06013. PMID 26269297.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Almeida FA, Eiger G (2008). “Subpulmonic effusion”. Intern Med J. 38 (3): 216–7. doi:10.1111/j.1445-5994.2007.01619.x. PMID 18290818.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Connell DG, Crothers G, Cooperberg PL (1982). “The subpulmonic pleural effusion: sonographic aspects”. J Can Assoc Radiol. 33 (2): 101–3. PMID 7107669.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Halvorsen RA, Thompson WM (1986). “Ascites or pleural effusion? CT and ultrasound differentiation”. Crit Rev Diagn Imaging. 26 (3): 201–40. PMID 3536306.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Prince Tano Djan, BSc, MBChB [2]