A patient is in the intensive care unit with multiple injuries.The attending physician is concerned about a pleural effusion in the left lung.The patient had surgery recently and cannot stand.Which position/projection would be best to rule out the pleural effusion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A left lateral decubitus position would be best to rule out a pleural effusion in the left lung as it allows gravity to pull any fluid towards the lateral aspect of the chest, making it easier to see on imaging. The patient cannot stand, so an upright position like apical lordotic would not be feasible. The supine position (A) would not be ideal because it would cause the fluid to distribute evenly throughout the lung field, making it harder to identify a localized effusion. The right lateral decubitus (B) would not be useful for ruling out a left-sided effusion.

A Patient Is in the Intensive Care Unit with Multiple