Large diaphragmatic defect as the cause of hydrothorax in a cirrhotic patient: demonstration with peritoneal scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging.
A 52-year-old man with history of post-hepatitic cirrhosis presented with ascitis and respiratory distress. Chest X-ray on admission showed a large right hydrothorax. Thoracentesis yielded a large volume of a clear transudate fluid. Peritoneal scintigraphy showed rapid migration of radiotracer into the right pleural cavity, confirming the abdominal origin of the pleural fluid and suspecting a large diaphragmatic defect. MR imaging study using ultrafast sequences confirmed the large diaphragmatic defect.
Ajmi
Sami
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sahloul's Hospital, Sousse 4054, Tunisia. sami.ajmi@famso.rnu.tn
Hassine
Habib
H
Arifa
Nadia
N
Karmani
Monia
M
Guezguez
Mohsen
M
Elajmi
Salem
S
Essabbah
Habib
H
D003964:Diaphragm / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging