This topic is of interest not only to pulmonologists, but also to physicians who work in the emergency room. Because, many times, the patient arrives at the hospital with dyspnea and acute chest pain. Intensified by breathing movements – a picture suggestive of pleural effusion. Depending on the amount and type of fluid accumulated, the condition can be serious , requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment. In this article, I talk about the main points of attention in chest radiography. Additional tests for the diagnosis and how telemedicine can help your team. How to identify pleural effusion on X-ray. Before talking about the features of pleural effusion, let’s recall the properties of radiographic images . When interpreting an X-ray, we can observe structures in white, black and grayscale. Its color depends on tissue density, since hard parts absorb a greater amount of ionizing radiation. Therefore, the bones appear white , revealing, for example.
How to identify pleural effusion on X-ray?
As the lungs are filled with air, their interior appears black, with light shadows referring to the ribs. Especially in the posteroanterior (PA) view. In addition to the PA chest X-ray, it is important to perform at least one more lateral. View in order to visualize details of the area where the chest pain is felt. The most frequent radiographic Bulgaria Mobile Number List findings in pleural effusion were described in this study published in the Jornal de Pneumologia: “Under normal conditions, the pleura is not visualized on chest X-rays. In pleural effusions, the fluid distribution depends on the patient’s position . In orthostatism, the liquid tends to accumulate in the lower portions, determining a homogeneous opacity , which obliterates the costophrenic sinus and is distributed in the contours of the lung, in the form of a meniscus . The accumulation of 200ml of liquid in the pleural cavity.
What is pleural effusion?
Pleural effusion corresponds to an increase in the amount of fluid in the pleural space. This is the space between the visceral and parietal pleurae, membranes that line the outside of the lungs and the inside of the chest wall, respectively. Normally, the pleural space contains a small portion of liquid that has the purpose of reducing pulmonary Mobile Numbers friction during the expansion of these organs, allowing the movement of inspiration. When there is an increase in the amount of liquid that infiltrates this space, or problems in the mechanisms of liquid release, pleural effusion occurs. Its content is varied and dependent on the cause . Trauma and injury can trigger the accumulation of blood in the pleural space, also called a hemothorax . Empyema, on the other hand , results from pus in this region, and is usually caused by infectious conditions such as pneumonia and abscesses.