Pleural Effusion

CXR and Pleural Effusion  – Blunting of the Costophrenic Angle

Not Obvious when the Effusion is Small

CXR and Correlative CT with Bilateral Pleural Effusions and Atelectasis
92-year-old female presents with a dyspnea. CXR shows a moderate sized right effusion. CT scan shows bilateral pleural effusions. On the right there is a moderate effusion with compressive atelectasis and on the left, there is a small effusion with a minor degree of atelectasis with atelectasis of the left lung.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Compressive Atelectasis due to Left Pleural Effusion
58year old male presents with dyspnea. CT scan shows bilateral pleural effusions with crescentic region of compressive atelectasis in the left lower lobe
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Variation of the Crescentic Shape of Passive Atelectasis
79 year-old female with bilateral simple pleural effusions and compressive atelectasis with a variation in the shape of the atelectasis in the right lower lobe.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Bilateral Pleural Effusions with Passive Compressive Atelectasis
66 year-old female with bilateral simple pleural effusions and compressive atelectasis
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Ultrasound and Correlative CT with Left Pleural Effusion and Atelectasis
86 year-old female presents with a dyspnea. US shows a left effusion with compressive atelectasis. CT scan shows bilateral pleural effusions with atelectasis of the left lung.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
White Out of the CXR with Passive Compressive Atelectasis of the Left Lung on CT
48 year-old male presents with a dyspnea. CXR shows a total white out of the left chest with pulmonary congestion. CT scan shows a large left pleural effusion with total atelectasis of the left lung. Incidental note is made of premature calcific coronary artery disease.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
80-year-old male presents with a dyspnea. Imaging of the chest using CT shows moderate sized pleural effusion on the right with focus of fixation (black arrow b) In addition the shape of the effusion reflects restriction to follow the normal shape of a gravitational dependent effusion. On the left side the effusion is simple characterised by a crescentic shape of the atelectasis (white arrow c) and a shape of the effusion conforming to the expected shape of a simple effusion.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Compressive Atelectasis due to Bilateral Pleural Effusions
46-year-old female presents with a dyspnea and a cough. Imaging of the chest shows cardiomegaly with bilateral moderate sized pleural effusion with crescentic region of compressive atelectasis noted on the axial images at the bases and crowding of the bronchovascular bundles best evaluated on the coronal image. The 3D reconstructions show functionally “bare” lower lobe segmental airways.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
Compressive Atelectasis
88 year old male with bilateral effusions shown on the CXR. Axial CT shows thickened pleura on the left with compressive atelectasis of the lower lobe and a smaller region of crescentic compressive atelectasis on the right. 3D reconstruction shows atelectasis of the left lower lobe and portion of the lingula
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
LARGE RIGHT PLEURAL EFFUSION SITUATED POSTERIORLY CAUSING COMPRESSIVE ATELECTASIS
Ashley Davidoff MD
Tension Hydrothorax
Lung Cancer, Tension Hydrothorax, and Atelectasis
85-year-old female with a history of lung cancer, presents with a dyspnea and hypotension. CT scan shows a large right pleural effusion under pressure, with mediastinal shift to the right. In addition, there is compression of the heart with back up of venous return due the pressure effect on the heart and vascular structures. Among the structures showing venous distension are the SVC (blue arrowhead, a) right sided upper limb veins (blue arrowhead b) and the left upper pulmonary veins (red arrowhead, b. The effusion in the right pleural cavity with atelectatic lung herniates into the left hemithorax, (white arrowhead, c). There is a dense sediment in the pleural fluid (red arrowhead, d) suggesting blood in the pleural cavity. The left atrium is compressed (maroon arrowhead, d)
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net