Peritoneal scintigraphy showing tracer in the pleural and abdominal cavities, suggesting a pleuroperitoneal communication The most noticeable symptoms are usually those of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Most people have signs of end-stage liver disease. pleuroperitoneal communications. The main method of diagnosis is extracting the fluid via thoracentesis. After this, the fluid is analyzed for diagnosis and to help rule out other possible causes like infection or cancer. The fluid can be analyzed for serum, protein, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, and cell count. The fluid is a transudate and similar to fluid found in ascites. There may be a higher protein and albumin content in<unk>  due to the pleura absorbing the water. To rule out heart-related causes of pleural effusion, an echocardiogram can be performed. Pleuroperitoneal communications are best detected by peritoneal scintigraphy. In this procedure, radioactive tracer is injected via needle into ascitic fluid, a procedure known as paracentesis. After that, a gamma camera is used to take images, showing the tracer in the pleural cavity. Hydrothorax without ascites has been reported to occur in as many as 20% of people with cirrhosis, but only detected in 7% of cases via CT scan and ultrasound.
Hepatic hydrothorax
Pneumoperitoneum
Subphrenic abscess
Liver abscess
Hemoperitoneum
Hepatopulmonary syndrome
Ascites
Hydrothorax