Pleural disease

Question 1

what is pleura?

Answer 1

it is a thin membrane that lines the surface of the lungs and the inside of the chest wall outside the lungs

Question 2

what is a pleural effusion?

Answer 2

it is an unusual amount of fluid around the lung, fluid builds up in the space between the layers of pleura

Question 3

what is a pleural fibrosis?

Answer 3

it is a fibrosis of the visceral pleura so that part or all of a lung becomes covered with a plaque or a thick layer of non-expansible fibrous tissue

Question 4

what is pleural fibrosis?

Answer 4

it is fibrosis of the visceral pleura so that part or all of a lung becomes covered with a plaque or a thick layer of non-expansible fibrous tissue

Question 5

what can cause severe restrictive lung disease?

Answer 5

pleural fibrosis

Question 6

what is the most common cause for pleural fibrosis?

Answer 6

pneumonia

Question 7

list common causes for pleural fibrosis

Answer 7

parapneumonic effusion,
empyema
tuberculosis
asbestos

Question 8

what is usually considered as a complication of other disorders involving the chest cavity?

Answer 8

pleural fibrosis

Question 9

what is a fibrothorax?

Answer 9

it is diffuse fibrosis of the pleural space surrounding the lungs

Question 10

what are some causes of a fibrothorax?

Answer 10

hemothorax, pleural effusion and tuberculosis

Question 11

what can induce a fibrothorax?

Answer 11

exposure to certain substances, as with asbestos-induced diffuse pleural fibrosis

Question 12

what are pleural plaques?

Answer 12

they are deposits of hyalinised collagen fibres in the parietal pleura

Question 13

what do pleural plaques indicate?

Answer 13

pleural plaques are indicative of asbestos exposure

Question 14

when do pleural plaques becomes visible?

Answer 14

they typically become visible many years after the inhalation of asbestos fibres

Question 15

what are the most common manifestation of asbestos related disease?

Answer 15

pleural plaques

Question 16

what can be identified with a very high degree of specificity with CT?

Answer 16

pleural plaques

Question 17

what is an empyema?

Answer 17

it is the collection of pus in a cavity in the body,, especially in the pleural cavity

Question 18

what can develop after you have pneumonia?

Answer 18

an empyema

Question 19

what may happen after you have had surgery on your chest?

Answer 19

an empyema

Question 20

what causes pleural effusion?

Answer 20

the build up of fluid between the chest cavity and the lungs may be caused by a disease or disorder

Question 21

what does someone who has pleural effusion have?

Answer 21

too much liquid in the pleural space

Question 22

list causes of pleural effusion

Answer 22

congestive heart failure
cirrhosis
poor liver function
pulmonary embolism
open heart surgery complications
pneumonia
severe kidney disease

Question 23

what are the symptoms of pleural effusion?

Answer 23

chest pain
dry, non-productive cough
dyspnea
orthopnea

Question 24

what is dyspnea?

Answer 24

shortness of breath

Question 25

what is orthopnea?

Answer 25

the inability to breathe easily unless the person is sitting or standing erect

Question 26

what needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of transudative pleural effusion?

Answer 26

congestive heart failure cirrhosis with hepatic hydrothorax

Question 27

what is a mesothelioma?

Answer 27

it is a malignant tumour that arises from the mesothelial surfaces of the pleural and peritoneal cavities, the tunica vaginalis or the pericardium

Question 28

what is pleural effusion a result of?

Answer 28

increased fluid formation and/or reduced fluid resorption

Question 29

what kind of approach for pleural effusion investigation is necessary?

Answer 29

a systemic approach

Question 30

is the differential diagnosis for a unilateral pleural effusion wide or narrow?

Answer 30

wide

Question 31

list four of the most common causes of transudative pleural effusions

Answer 31

heart failure pulmonary embolism cirrhosis post open heart surgery

Question 32

what is pulmonary embolism?

Answer 32

it is a blockage of the arteries in your lungs

Question 33

what is pulmonary embolism caused by in most cases?

Answer 33

it is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs or, rarely, other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis)

Question 34

basically what is pulmonary embolism?

Answer 34

it is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance which migrated from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream

Question 35

what are symptoms of pulmonary embolism

Answer 35

- shortness of breath - chest pain, particularly upon breathing in - coughing up of blood