What does the Pleural Fluid Test Measure ?

Pleural fluid analysis diagnoses the medical condition of pleural effusion. Doctors recommend this test to diagnose the underlying reason behind the fluid build-up. The reasons could be various:

Leakage from other organs due to heart failure of liver cirrhosis (transudate)

Inflammation or injury of the pleura (exudate)

Autoimmune conditions

Cancer

Pulmonary Embolism or blockage of the artery

Why should I do the Pleural Fluid Test ?

A doctor recommends pleural fluid analysis when he suspects pleural effusion. The symptoms for this are a dry, unproductive cough that doesn't go away, severe or constant chest pain, difficulty breathing, and fatigue. Sometimes people with pleural effusion have no symptoms. A doctor finds excess fluid in a chest X-ray conducted for other reasons.

How is the Pleural Fluid Test Done ?

The patient sits on a chair or bed with arms resting on a table

The doctor sanitizes the back and injects a numbing medicine

The doctor inserts a needle between the ribs to withdraw fluid while the patient breathes out

It results in the removal of excess fluid

What happens in case there is excessive pleural fluid ?

An unusual amount of pleural fluid (more than 20 millilitres) in the human body leads to a medical condition known as pleural effusion. Symptoms such as unproductive dry cough, excessive chest pain, unexplained fatigue or difficulty in breathing. It is essential to drain excess liquid to avoid further complications and diagnose the root cause for the infection causing effusion.