J Korean Radiol Soc.  1996 Oct;35(4):493-497.

Enhanced CT in the Patients with Pleural Effusion: Differential Findings between Exudates and Transudates

• Kim SH
• Han YM
• Chung JY
• Cho SI
• Kim KS
• Lee H
• Lee SY
• Chung GH
• Kim CS
• Sohn MH
• Choi KC

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the differential findings of CT in the differention of pleural exudates and transudates.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
One hundred and thirteen consecutive patients (113 effusions) underwent enhanced thoracic CT ; the scans were evaluated for the presence or absence and appearance of enhancing parietal pleural thickening and extrapleural fat thickening. Thoracentesis was performed to measure pleural and serum total protein andlactate dehydrogenase(LDH) values. Effusions were classified as exudates by using Light's criteria.
RESULTS
Eighty-eight effusions were exudates and 25 were transudates. Eighty-three of the 88 exudates (93%) were associated with enhanced parietal pleural thickening ; seventy of the 88 (80%) were associated with extrapleural fat thickening. Four of the 25 transudates were associated with parietal pleural thickening and extrapleural fat thickening, both of which were the most important factors in differentiating beteen pleural exudates and transudates(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Parietal pleural thickening and extrapleural fat thickening on contrast-enhanced CT almost always in dicate the presence of pleural exudates.

Keyword

Pleura, CT; Pleura, fluid

MeSH Terms

Exudates and Transudates*
Humans
Pleural Effusion*
Rabeprazole