Prognostic Role of Incidental Pleural Effusion Diagnosed During Echocardiographic Evaluation

Lung Ultrasound Findings Detected During Inpatient Echocardiography Are Common and Associated With Short‐ and Long‐term Mortality

“…Our findings indicate a high prevalence of 20% and a similarly high mortality risk of pleural effusions when found by US, either alone (4.1% inpatient and 33.0% 1‐year mortality) or, even more ominous, in combination with B‐lines (16% inpatient and 49% 1‐year mortality). In a previously reported retrospective review of 251 consecutive echocardiograms with incidentally detected left pleural effusions during standard echo imaging, an association with high 1‐year (range, 0%–47%) and 5‐year (range, 22%–56%) mortality was noted, depending on the etiology of the effusion, and was particularly worse in patients with malignancy . Our study used 2 dedicated posterobasal coronal views of both lungs specifically for detection of smaller amounts of pleural fluid by visualization of the diaphragm as a landmark and found a similar association with mortality.…”

“…Echocardiography is a frequently ordered initial test for the evaluation of suspected cardiopulmonary disease, and the same US transducer used in echocardiography can be used to detect pleural effusions or US B‐lines that form in the presence of interstitial lung edema. As few data exist regarding whether such lung findings have sufficient prevalence and prognostic importance in patients to warrant imaging during the initial echo study, we sought to review the outcomes of consecutive patients referred for echocardiography in which a 4‐view US lung examination had been incorporated into the standard transthoracic echocardiogram.…”

A cross sectional study on the definite diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion at Gulab Devi Chest Hospital.

“…This study (93.75%) and various previous studies reported the same high percentage of the exudative effusion among the selected patients. 16 In this study 8 (25.00%) patients had tuberculosis pleural effusion, 2 (6.25%) were with malignant pleural effusion and 3 (9.375%) patients were with gram positive staphylococcus aureus and gram negative pseudomonas infection. Previously in one of the study malignancy is more common cause of pleural effusion than tuberculosis.…”

Creating a Novel Cardiac Limited Ultrasound Exam Curriculum for Internal Medical Residency: Four Unanticipated Tasks

“…19 The basal pleural spaces are viewed for the effusion sign, the presence of dark fluid present posteriorly in the costophrenic or costovertebral spaces. The presence of apical comet tails or basilar pleural effusions has demonstrated diagnostic accuracy, 20,21 are associated with a poor prognosis, [22][23][24][25] and can be easily learned. 26 Lastly, the subcostal view evaluates right ventricular enlargement and inferior vena cava (IVC) plethora and serves as an alternate view of the left ventricle when the parasternal view is poor or inaccessible.…”