Table 10.

Indications for bilateral thoracentesis[30]

1. Unilateral parenchymal lung involvement 2. Significantly disparate-sized effusions 3. Markedly different attenuation values (Hounsfield units) or appearance (e.g. unilateral pleural loculations or enhancement) on CT 4. Atypical clinical findings (fever or pleuritic chest pain in the context of decompensated heart failure) 5. Resolution of pleural effusion only on one side 6. Evaluation of pleural diseases usually associated with unilateral effusion (e.g. pneumonia)