Sonographic Indicators for Treatment Choice and Follow-Up in Patients with Pleural Effusion

Table 2

Success rate of thoracentesis regarding the type, echo structure, and size of effusions.

		Unsuccessful		Successful		Total	Sign
		Number	%	Number	%
Type of effusion	Loculated effusion	18	9	185	91	203	0.710
	Free-flowing effusion	3	6	47	94	50
Total		21	8	232	92	253
		Number	%	Number	%	Number
Thoracentesis	Real-time US-guided thoracentesis	1	1	79	99	80
	Without real-time guidance	20	12	153	88	173
Total		21	8	232	92	253
		Number	%	Number	%	Number
Echo structure	Complex septated	11	10	104	90	115	0.126
	Complex nonseptated	4	7.5	49	92.5	53
	Echogenic	5	16	26	84	31
	Anechoic	1	2	53	98	54
		Number	%	Number	%	Number
Size of effusion	Small	20	24	65	76	85
	Medium	1	2	111	98	112
	Large effusion	0	0	56	100	56