Ask the Expert

Get answers to your Heart Failure questions.

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

Please install flash player to see this video.

Heart Center Virtual Tour

Pleural effusion - Symptom

Alternative Names

Fluid in the chest; Fluid on the lung; Pleural fluid

Symptoms:

Chest pain, usually a sharp pain that is worse with cough or deep breaths
Cough
Fever
Hiccups
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath

Sometimes there are no symptoms.

Signs and tests:

During a physical examination, the doctor will listen to the sound of your breathing with a stethoscope and may tap on your chest to listen for dullness.

The following tests may help to confirm a diagnosis:

Chest x-ray
Pleural fluid analysis (examining the fluid under a microscope to look for bacteria, amount of protein, and presence of cancerous cells)
Thoracentesis (a sample of fluid is removed with a needle inserted between the ribs)
Thoracic CT
Ultrasound of the chest

Lungs

Respiratory system

Pleural cavity

Reviewed last on: 8/29/2008
Sean O. Stitham, MD, private practice in Internal Medicine, Seattle, WA; Benjamin Medoff, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)