title: Benign pleural diseases.
abstract: The pleural space is a potential space under normal physiologic circumstances. It envelops the lung, the mediastinum, the diaphragm and the chest wall. A thin film of pleural fluid provides lubrication for the two pleural layers; only 2-10 ml of pleural fluid is present in healthy people. For the purposes of this review, pleural abnormalities will be divided into pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and pleural calcification.
authors.affiliation: Servei de Diagnostic per la Imatge, UDIAT Centre Diagnostic, Corporacio Parc Taulí, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Parc Taulí s/n, 08202 Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain. xgallardo@cspt.es
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castañer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mata
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004653:Empyema / Q000175:diagnosis; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed