ABSTRACT
Non-expandable lung (NEL) commonly occurs secondary to chronic pleural processes, including pleural effusions, endobronchial obstruction, atelectasis, or chronic pleural inflammatory processes. Patients with NEL frequently undergo unnecessary procedures (e.g., thoracentesis), resulting in pneumothorax and discomfort (usually chest pain). Identifying a chronic process and likely development of NEL may prevent this. Diagnostic modalities currently used in practice include pleural manometry and ultrasonography. This case report demonstrates that blunting of transmitted cardiac impulse on M-Mode of ultrasonography predicts the presence of NEL.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Viruses affect the human body in multiple ways producing various disease states. The infections of the pulmonary parenchyma have been well described. However, there has been no current review of the literature pertaining to the pleura. AIM: To review the available literature pertaining to diseases of the pleura that are caused by viral infections. METHODS: A Medline search was performed and available research and review articles relating to viral infections that resulted in pleural effusions, pleural masses, pleural thickening, and pleural nodularity were reviewed. CONCLUSION: There are numerous viruses that cause diseases of the pleura. Pleural effusions and lesions within the pleura are the most common presentation of the disease state. Polymerase chain reaction has the potential to further diagnose viral infections and expand our knowledge base in this field.
Subject(s)
Pleura/pathology , Pleurisy/diagnosis , Pleurisy/virology , Virus Diseases/diagnosis , Virus Diseases/virology , Humans , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , Pleurisy/pathology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Virus Diseases/pathologyABSTRACT
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease that can affect any organ in the body, but most commonly the lung. Any part of the thorax may be affected by sarcoidosis, including the lung parenchyma, airways, and mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. When the parenchyma is involved, sarcoidosis has a predilection for the bronchovascular bundles and subpleural locations. On occasion, the presentation of pulmonary sarcoidosis may be atypical. Atypical presentations may result in a delay in diagnosis as well as unnecessary treatment or diagnostic testing. We discuss four patients with an unusual presentation of thoracic sarcoidosis seen at our Sarcoidosis Clinic.