title: Application of color Doppler ultrasound in the study of small pleural effusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the results of gray scale ultrasound with those of color Doppler ultrasound in order to evaluate the minimal pleural effusion and to differentiate the minimal pleural effusion from pleural thickening.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively analyzed 86 patients who, according to their chest radiographs, were suspected of having minimal pleural effusion. All patients were examined by ultrasonography on gray scale and color Doppler and the presence or absence of pleural effusion was confirmed by thorax CT. Using the color Doppler examination we analyzed the fluid color sign of pleural effusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, the ultrasonography on gray scale in real time detected pleural effusion with 60% specificity, 100% sensitivity and 88.37% accuracy. By applying the color Doppler the specificity of the method is higher (specificity 100%, sensitivity 96.72% and accuracy 97.57%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence of pleural effusion on grayscale ultrasound has a greater sensitivity than that of color Doppler ultrasound, but has a smaller specificity. Therefore, color Doppler ultrasound proved to be a useful diagnostic aid in gray-scale ultrasound for the assessment of minimal effusion, having the highest accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Imaging Department, General Hospital Sotiria, Terpsitheas 42, 15341, Athens, Greece. motogna@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalokairinou-Motogna
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maratou
authors.forename: Iovana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paianid
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soldatos
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antipa
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsikkini
authors.forename: Christos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Baltas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color