A pleural effusion is BEST defined as which of the following?

A pleural effusion is BEST defined as which of the following?

• A. Unilaterally collapsed lung
• B. Fluid accumulation outside the lung
• C. Bacterial infection of the lung tissue
• D. Diffuse collapsing of the alveoli

Answer: (B)

Pleural effusion means fluid accumulating in the pleural space, the potential space between the lung and the chest wall. This option captures that idea: fluid outside the lung in the pleural cavity. The other scenarios describe different problems: a collapsed lung due to air in the pleural space (pneumothorax), infection of lung tissue (pneumonia), or widespread collapse of alveoli (atelectasis). Each of these involves the lung itself or air, not fluid in the pleural space, so they aren’t the correct definition of a pleural effusion.

Pleural effusion means fluid accumulating in the pleural space, the potential space between the lung and the chest wall. This option captures that idea: fluid outside the lung in the pleural cavity.

The other scenarios describe different problems: a collapsed lung due to air in the pleural space (pneumothorax), infection of lung tissue (pneumonia), or widespread collapse of alveoli (atelectasis). Each of these involves the lung itself or air, not fluid in the pleural space, so they aren’t the correct definition of a pleural effusion.