Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition
Published on: March 3, 2023
Anatomy and pathophysiology of the pleura and pleural space
Nilay Gamze Yalcin1, Cliff K C Choong, Norman Eizenberg
1Department of Surgery (MMC), Monash University, Clayton Road, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Abstract:
Pleural effusions are most often secondary to an underlying condition and may be the first sign of the underlying pathologic condition. The balance between the hydrostatic and oncotic forces dictates pleural fluid homeostasis. The parietal pleura has a more significant role in pleural fluid homeostasis. Its vessels are closer to the pleural space compared with its visceral counterpart; it contains lymphatic stomata, absent on visceral pleura, which are responsible for a bulk clearance of fluid. The diagnosis and successful treatment of pleural effusions requires a mixture of imaging techniques and pleural fluid analysis.
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