• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2005

Massive pancreatic pleural effusion is a rare complication of chronic pancreatitis. It results from leakage of pancreatic secretion into the pleural space through the aortic or esophageal hiatus, either by a pancreatic duct disruption or communicating pseudocyst. The presentation of the pancreatic pleural effusion is often misleading as respiratory rather than abdominal symptoms because of predominance of pulmonary complaints. Markedly elevated amylase level of the pleural fluid is highly suggestive of the diagnosis. We experienced a case of chronic pancreatitis with massive pleural effusion in a 9-year-old female, who presented with a 6-months history of intermittent abdominal pain, and cough and chest pain for 3 days.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.179-182
• /
• 2000

Background: A pleural effusion is not a disease entity but a clincial sign of systemic or pleural disease. Although the diagnosis of pleural effusion can often be done by toracentesis and pleural needle biopsy the yeild of positive diagnosis is low.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.63 no.4
• /
• pp.353-361
• /
• 2007

Background: Malignancies are a common and important causes of exudative pleural effusions. Several tumor markers have been studied because the pleural fluid cytology and pleural biopsy specimens do not provide a diagnosis in a high percentage of malignant effusions. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) in pleural effusions and serum, which are known to be inflammation markers, were measured to determine if they can differentiate an exudate from trasndate as well as the diverse causes of exudative pleural effusion. Methods: 178 consecutive patients with pleural effusion (malignant 57, tuberculous 51, parapneumonic 31, empyema 5, miscellaneous benign 7, transudative 27)were studied prospectively. The standard parameters of pleural effusion and measured serum and pleural procalcitonin were examined using in immunoluminometric assay. The level of CRP in serum and pleural fluid was determined by turbidimetric immunoassay. Results: The pleural procalcitonin levels in the exudate were significantly higher than those in the transudate, $0.81{\pm}3.09ng/mL$ and $0.12{\pm}0.12ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.007). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the exudate than the transudate, $2.83{\pm}3.31mg/dL$ and $0.74{\pm}0.67mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the benign effusion were significantly higher than those in the malignant effusion, $1.15{\pm}3.82ng/mL$ and $0.25{\pm}0.92ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.032). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the benign effusion than in the malignant effusion, $3.68{\pm}3.78mg/dL$ and $1.42{\pm}1.54mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the non-tuberculous effusion were significantly higher than those in the tuberculous effusion, $1.16{\pm}3.75ng/mL$ and $0.13{\pm}0.37ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.008). Conclusion: Measuring the level of procalcitonin and CRP in the pleural fluid is helpful for differentiating between transudates and exudates. In addition, it is useful for differentiating between benign and malignant pleural effusions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 1993

Background: In order to establish the etiology of the pleural effusion, routine analysis of the fluid, bacteriologic studies, cytologic tests and pleural biopsies are currently being employed. However, even with the above mentioned tests, the exact causes cannot be determined in approximately 10-20% of cases. The purpose of our study is to determine the diagnostic value of measuring ADA activity and CEA simultaneously in various pleural fluids which their etiologies have confirmed Methods: We have studied 61 cases of tuberculous pleural effusions, 17 cases of suspected tuberculous pleural effusions, 17 cases of malignant pleural effusions, 22 cases of suspected malignant pleural effusions, and 7 cases of parapneumonic pleural effusions. We have measured the ADA activity and CEA level simultaneously in pleural fluid samples in each cases. Results: 1) The ADA activity in tuberculous pleural effusion was significantly higher than that in malignant effusion. 2) The CEA level in malignant pleural effusion was significantly higher than that in tuberculous effusion. 3) With the cut-off values of the pleural fluid ADA activity more than 40 U/L and the CEA level less than 12 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 86.9%, and the specificity was 100% in the diagnosis of tuberculous effusion. With the cut-off values of the pleural fluid CEA level more than 12 g/mL and the ADA activity less than 40 U/L, the sensitivity was 76.5%, and the specificity was 100% in the diagnosis of malignant effusion. Conclusion: It is suggested that the combined assay of pleural fluid ADA activity and CEA level is very useful in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.64 no.4
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2008

Background: A diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion is clinically important, as the prognosis of lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion is poor. The diagnosis will be difficult if a cytological test is negative. This study was performed to investigate whether the detection of hypermethylation of the p16 (CDKN2A) and retinoic acid receptor b2 (RARB2) genes in pleural fluid is useful for a diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Methods: Pleural effusion was collected from 43 patients and was investigated for the aberrant promoter methylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes by use of methylation-specific PCR. Results were compared with findings from a pleural biopsy and from pleural fluid cytology. Results: Of 43 cases, 17 cases of pleural effusion were due to benign diseases, and 26 cases were from lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion. Hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes was not detected in the case of benign diseases, independent of whether or not the patients had ever smoked. In 26 cases of malignant pleural effusion, hypermethylation of RARB2, CDKN2A or either of these genes was detected in 14, 5 and 15 cases, respectively. The sensitivities of a pleural biopsy, pleural fluid cytology, hypermethylation of RARB2, hypermethylation of CDKN2A, or hypermethylation of either of the genes were 73.1%, 53.8%, 53.8%, 19.2%, and 57.7%, respectively; negative predictive values were 70.8%, 58.6%, 58.6%, 44.7%, and 60.7%, respectively. If both genes are considered together, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was lower than that for a pleural biopsy, but higher than that for pleural fluid cytology. The sensitivity of hypermethylation of the RARB2 gene for malignant pleural effusion was lower in small cell lung cancers than in non-small cell lung cancers. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that detection of hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes showed a high specificity, and sensitivity was higher than for pleural fluid cytology. With a better understanding of the pathogenesis of lung cancer according to histological types at the molecular level, and if appropriate genes are selected for hypermethylation testing, more precise results may be obtained.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.1214-1222
• /
• 1998

Background : The intrapleural hypofibrinolysis is caused by mainly excessive concentration of pleural plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen(PAI-1 Ag), which binds tissue type plasminogen activator. In pleural inflammation induced by sclerosing agents for pleurodesis, levels of pleural PAI-1 antigen increase in relation to decreasing D-dimer levels. It has been known that the pleural mesothelial cells have the capability of secreting PAI-1 Ag in response to inflammation in vivo. Therefore, we estimated whether pleural inflammation changes the balance between fibrinolytic and coagulative properties in exudative pleural effusions. Method : The thirty cases was included in our study. We determined the pleural levels of glucose, lactic dehydrogenase(LDH), pH and the counts of white blood cell(WBC), polymorpho leukocyte(PMN), lymphocyte as the parameters of pleural inflammation and cellular components of pleural fluid. The plasma level of fibrinogen in fluid and the neutrophil count in blood were determined. The levels of D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag and thrombinantithrombin III complex(TAT) were determined by ELISA(Behring, Marburg, Germany). Result : The causes of pleural effusion were as following : tuberculous in 14 cases, malignant in 10 cases and parapneumonic in 6 cases. The levels of pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag and TAT was significantly higher than that of plasma(p<0..001). The severity of pleural inflammation did not correlated with pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag, TAT and their plasma levels. But the level of pleural TAT correlated with pleural WBC and lymphocyte count. Conclusion : We found that the severity of pleural inflammations did not correlated with pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag, TAT and the possibility of local production of PAI-1 antigen is present.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.96-101
• /
• 2008

This study was performed to quantify the pleural effusion in radiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography(CT) and to evaluate and compare the usefulness of these methods. Normal saline of 10 ml/kg was infused into the pleural space until a final loading volume of 60 ml/kg body weight was reached in six Beagle dogs. The radiographic examination was performed for the detection and quantification of pleural effusion. On the ultrasonographic study, the maximum perpendicular distance was measured between the surface of the lung and the thoracic wall to evaluate pleural effusion. On the CT image, pleural effusion was evaluated as the perpendicular distance to the thoracic surface in the maximum pleural effusion volume on any transverse images with soft tissue window. Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression test. The volume of pleural effusion and measurements of radiography and ultrasonography had no statistical relationship. However, a significant correlation was identified between the volume of pleural effusion and the depth at right ($r^2=0.715$), left ($r^2=0.745$), and mean right and left depth ($r^2=0.844$) on the CT images. All of the thoracic radiographs, ultrasonography, and CT are useful in recognition of pleural effusion. In quantification of pleural effusion, the CT measurement method is superior to radiographic and ultrasonographic measurements.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.710-714
• /
• 2009

Several studies showed that the survival rate of stage IIIB disease with malignant pleural effusion is worse than stage IIIB disease without malignant effusion. But, malignant pleural effusion was considered T4. To analyze changes the survival time for malignant pleural effusion, in the seventh revision of TNM classification for lung cancer. The records of all patients had to have either a histological or cytological diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who were admitted to Wonkwang university hospital between January 2004 and December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. We evaluated the survival time of 187 patients with advanced lung cancer with and without malignant pleural effusion. This included the pleural effusion or nodule M1 a (pleural dissemination, currently classified as T4), nodule(s) in the other lung M1 a (contralateral lung nodule, currently classified as M1), nodule(s) with the same lobe as the primary tumor T3 (currently classified as T4), other T4 factors T4 (T4 MO anyN), and extrathoracic sites of disease M1b (distant metastasis, currently classified M1). Among the 187 patients, T4anyNMO was 57 patients in the current TNM classification. In the next edition of the TNM classification, T4MOanyN-T4 (excluding same lobe nodules) was 12 patients, pleural dissemiantion-M1a was 45 patients, contralateral lung nodule(s)-M1a was 7 patients, and metastatic disease-M1b was 55 patients. We compared the survival time for these groups. Survival time was 11 months, 8 months, 11 months, and 4 months. The survival time of malignant pleural effusion was shorter than other T4 factors without pleural effusion. But, there was no remarkable difference in statistics due to small cases (p=0.23). We strongly suggest that malignant pleural effusion in advanced NSCLC will be categorized with metastatic disease.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.607-613
• /
• 2016

The pleura is known as an end target organ of exposure to toxic environmental materials such as fine particulate matter and asbestos. Moreover, long-term exposure to hazardous materials can eventually lead to fatal lung disease such as diffuse pleural fibrosis or mesothelioma. Chest computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound are gold standard imaging modalities for detection of advanced pleural disease. However, a diagnostic tool for early detection of pleural reaction has not been developed yet due to difficulties in imaging ultra-fine structure of the pleura. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), which provides cross-sectional images of micro tissue structures at a resolution of 2-10 μm, can image the mesothelium with a thickness of ~100 μm and therefore enables investigation of the early pleural reaction. In this study, we induced the early pleural reaction according to a time sequence after pleurodesis using talc, which has been widely used in the clinical field. The pleural reaction in talc grouped according to the time sequence (1st, 2nd, 4th weeks) showed a significant thickening (average thickness: 45 ± 7.5 μm, 80 ± 10.7 μm, 90 ± 12.5 μm), while the pleural reaction in sham and normal groups showed pleural change from normal to minimal thickening (average thickness: 16 ± 5.5 μm, 17 ± 4.5 μm, 15 ± 6.5 μm, and 12 ± 7.5 μm, 13 ± 2.5 μm, 12 ± 3.5 μm). The measurement of pleural reaction by pathologic examinations was well-matched with the measurement by OCT images. This is the first study for measuring the thickness of pleural reactions using a biophotonic modality such as OCT. Our results showed that OCT can be useful for evaluating the early pleural reaction.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.505-506
• /
• 1993

Lipomas are common tumors occuring mostly in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. This tumors are rare in the thorax. They frequently represent on incidental roentgengraphic finding or symptomes depending primarily on their location and size. The patient was 23-month-old male complained of fever and coughing. His chest X-ray and CT scan were revealed soft tissue density featured of pleural mass in the left lower hemithorax. And thoracotomy was performed for accurate diagnosis and treatment. So, experience of parietal pleural lipoma is reported here in.