Empyema vs Lung Abscess vs Pleural Effusion on IMAGING

A brief introduction of how to tell these three entities apart on imaging.

[@Hassanwahab.]

In diagnosing empyema which modality will be used to show the amount of fluid in chest and its exact location?
CXR
CT scans
Ultrasound
MRI

[@RadiologyMicroLessons]

CT is often the modality of choice for further characterization of empyema, although other modalities may also be useful.

[@zuhairyassin505]

empyema is basically an exudate effusion right ?

[@RadiologyMicroLessons]

Great question! Exudative effusion is based on the Light´s criteria and empyema is one cause of exudative effusion. However if you have exudative effusion it does not mean that it is empyema.

[@amanuelgedefaw29]

empyema has biconvex shape not biconcave

[@RadiologyMicroLessons]

Hey, thanks for the reply! You are right, I meant to say biconvex but not biconcave.