| pleural effusion | A collection of fluid (or blood) in the pleural space (in one side of the chest cavity around the lung). May be secondary to trauma, cancer, nephrotic syndrome, kidney disease, pancreatitis, congestive heart failure and cirrhosis. See: pleural space. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| pleural effusion in newborn | <radiology> Chylothorax most common cause of large effusion, erythroblastosis foetalis, Turner syndrome, congestive heart failure, infantile polycystic kidneys, wet-lung disease, hypervolaemia (idiopathic or iatrogenic), oesophageal tear, enteric cyst, obstructed pulmonary veins (12 Dec 1998) |
| pleural effusion, malignant | Presence of fluid in the pleural cavity as a complication of malignant disease. Malignant pleural effusions often contain actual malignant cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pleural fluid | <radiology> Normal: 2 cc, allows visceral pleura to slide over parietal pleura, maintains adhesion between pleural layers (12 Dec 1998) |
| pleural fremitus | Vibration in the chest wall produced by a friction rub resulting from the rubbing together of the roughened inflamed opposing surfaces of the pleura. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural friction rub | Friction rub sound caused by inflammation of the pleura. Synonym: pleural friction rub, pleural rale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural lines | On a chest radiograph, the shadow of the soft tissues between the aerated lung and the bones of the thorax. Synonym: Correra's line. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural needle biopsy | <investigation, procedure, surgery> A pleural needle biopsy involves the use of a needle (inserted from the skin) to obtain a small sample of pleural tissue for microscopic analysis. The biopsy is done using a local anaesthetic. Abnormal results may reveal cancer (metastatic or primary), tuberculosis, a fungal disease, viral disease, a parasitic disease or collagen vascular disease. Risks include pneumothorax and internal bleeding. (21 Mar 1998) |
| pleural neoplasms | Neoplasms of the thin serous membrane that envelopes the lungs and lines the thoracic cavity. Pleural neoplasms are exceedingly rare and are usually not diagnosed until they are advanced because in the early stages they produce no symptoms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pleural plaque | Fibrous thickening of the parietal pleura, characteristically caused by inhalation exposure to asbestos. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural pressure | The pressure in the pleural space between the visceral and parietal pleurae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural rale | Friction rub sound caused by inflammation of the pleura. Synonym: pleural friction rub, pleural rale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural reaction | Thickening of the pleural stripe on chest radiographs, representing pleuritis, pleural effusion, or pleural fibrosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural recesses | Three recesses of the pleural cavity, one behind the sternum and costal cartilages (costomediastinal recess), one between the diaphragm and chest wall (costodiaphragmatic recess), and one between the diaphragm and mediastinum (phrenicomediastinal recess). Synonym: recessus pleurales, pleural sinuses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pleural rub | Friction rub sound caused by inflammation of the pleura. Synonym: pleural friction rub, pleural rale. (05 Mar 2000) |