Pleural effusion is excess fluid that accumulates between the two pleural layers, the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs. Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during ventilation. Pleural effusion is usually diagnosed on the basis of medical history and physical examination, and confirmed by chest x-ray and ultrasonography. This is an open label, comparative, analytical, Interventional and prospective study done on 100 patients suggestive of pleural effusion in department of respiratory medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital Kota, during a period Oct. 2013 to Sept. 2014. The aim of study to localize site for thoracocentesis and diagnosis of effusion type by chest x-ray and ultrasonography and also comparision of results. In our study, we observed that site localization for thoracocentesis and successful aspiration done in 45 (72%) out of 63 patients diagnosed by chest x-ray. The superiority of ultrasonography in diagnosing 33 extra pleural effusion cases and successful thoracocentesis was done in all 33 cases that is a 100 % success rate. We also diagnosed effusion in 63 patients including free fluid in 56 (with one sub pulmonary effusion) and loculated effusion in 7 patients by chest radiography. While Ultrasonography was superior in diagnosing 96 patients of pleural effusion and categorized in to septated effusion type in 26 (27%), Loculated effusion in 17 (18%), and Thick fluid empyema in 8 (9%) and free fluid in 45 (50%) including sub pulmonary effusion in 3 patients.
