Pleural ultrasonography (US) represents nowadays a useful diagnostic tool in the management of pleural diseases. Detection and evaluation of pleural effusions, pneumothorax and pleural-based lesions can be performed with US, which has the advantages of wide availability, low cost, absence of radiation exposure, and portability. ⋯ US of the thorax is an operator dependent technique demanding an experienced operator in order to obtain reliable results. This pictorial essay presents various ultrasound findings of the diseases which concern the pleura.
Romeo Chira, Alexandra Chira, Roberta Mânzat Săplăcan, Georgiana Nagy, Adriana Binţinţan, and Petru Adrian Mircea.
1st Medical Clinic, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. romeochira@yahoo.com.
Med Ultrason. 2014 Dec 1;16(4):364-71.
AbstractPleural ultrasonography (US) represents nowadays a useful diagnostic tool in the management of pleural diseases. Detection and evaluation of pleural effusions, pneumothorax and pleural-based lesions can be performed with US, which has the advantages of wide availability, low cost, absence of radiation exposure, and portability. It is the best method for guiding interventional procedures in the pleural space. It has also limitations, due to the interposition of bony parts of the thorax, subcutaneous emphysema and inability to visualize the mediastinal pleura. US of the thorax is an operator dependent technique demanding an experienced operator in order to obtain reliable results. This pictorial essay presents various ultrasound findings of the diseases which concern the pleura.