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Sensitive and Specific Findings

Specific Findings

Sensitive Findings

Pleural Effusion: Sensitivity and Specificity

Introduction: None written.

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Tags: Pulmonary Tag this Diagnosis.

The sensitivity and specificity of findings for Pleural Effusion are listed below. See the left navigation bar to change the display.

Sensitive and Specific Findings

Finding SensitivitySpecificity Comments, Study
Auscultatory dullness to percussion Edit 95%100%

This involves percussing (tapping) the along patient's back while listening on the ipsilateral side with the stethoscope below the diaphragm. See the study for more details.

Other techniques have yielded lower sensitivities, down to 19%.

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html

Ultrasound Edit 92%94.1%

thoracic ultrasound

Study: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000 May;35(6):1638-46 PMID: 10807471

Absent breath sounds Edit 88%90%

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html

Specific Findings

Finding SensitivitySpecificity Comments, Study
Chest X-Ray Edit 37.5%100%

NOTE: Sensitivity for the right hemithorax was ~50% while on the left it was ~25%!

Study: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000 May;35(6):1638-46 PMID: 10807471

Pleural Rub Edit 5%99%

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html

Asymmetric lung expansion Edit 74%91%

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html

Asymmetric tactile fremitus Edit 82%86%

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html

Sensitive Findings

Finding SensitivitySpecificity Comments, Study
Dullness to percussion Edit 89%71%

Study: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine April 2008 vol. 75 no. 4 297-303

http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/4/297.full.pdf+html