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Thoracentesis - Results

Alternative Names

Pleural fluid aspiration; Pleural tap

Normal Values:

Normally the pleural cavity contains only a very small amount of fluid.

What abnormal results mean:

The analysis of the fluid will indicate possible causes of pleural effusion such as infection, cancer, heart failure, cirrhosis, and kidney disease. If infection is suspected, a culture of the fluid is often done to determine whether microorganisms are present and if so, to identify them.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include the following:

  • Reviewed last on: 8/7/2006
  • David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.