Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (700 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Paired but separate cavity within the thoracic cavity. It consists of the space between the parietal and visceral pleura and normally contains a capillary layer of serous fluid that lubricates the pleural surfaces.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Cavities, Pleural; Cavity, Pleural; Pleural Cavities.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Thoracic Cavity
Related concepts
- Thoracic Cavity
- Pleura
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 968 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Pleural Cavity” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 105 of them (10.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 434 records.
Reviews account for 90 records (9.3%) and meta-analyses for 5. Randomized controlled trials number 20 (2.1%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 131 |
| 2000-2009 | 298 |
| 2010-2019 | 434 |
| 2020 onward | 105 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 90 | 9.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 5 | 0.5% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 20 | 2.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Pleural Cavity"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genetic fate-mapping reveals surface accumulation but not deep organ invasion of pleural and peritoneal cavity macrophages following injury | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 47 | cc by PMID 34001904 · DOI · PMC8129080 |
| Focused ultrasound of the pleural cavities and the pericardium by nurses after cardiac surgery | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 23 | cc by PMID 25611808 · DOI · PMC4389761 |
| Performance of Xpert® MTB/RIF in diagnosing tuberculous pleuritis using thoracoscopic pleural biopsy | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 16 | cc by PMID 33183269 · DOI · PMC7663888 |
| Single-use bronchoscopes for pleural cavity access: cadaveric feasibility study | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 42113317 · DOI · PMC13506559 |
Genetic fate-mapping reveals surface accumulation but not deep organ invasion of pleural and peritoneal cavity macrophages following injury [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- During injury, monocytes are recruited from the circulation to inflamed tissues and differentiate locally into mature macrophages, with prior reports showing that cavity macrophages of the peritoneum and pericardium invade deeply into the respective organs to promote repair.
- Closing excerpt
- Our in vivo genetic targeting approach thus provides a reliable method to identify and characterize cavity macrophages during their development and in tissue repair and regeneration, and distinguishes these cells from other lineages.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (137 words)
During injury, monocytes are recruited from the circulation to inflamed tissues and differentiate locally into mature macrophages, with prior reports showing that cavity macrophages of the peritoneum and pericardium invade deeply into the respective organs to promote repair. Here we report a dual recombinase-mediated genetic system designed to trace cavity macrophages in vivo by intersectional detection of two characteristic markers. Lineage tracing with this method shows accumulation of cavity macrophages during lung and liver injury on the surface of visceral organs without penetration into the parenchyma. Additional data suggest that these peritoneal or pleural cavity macrophages do not contribute to tissue repair and regeneration. Our in vivo genetic targeting approach thus provides a reliable method to identify and characterize cavity macrophages during their development and in tissue repair and regeneration, and distinguishes these cells from other lineages.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34001904 · DOI · PMC8129080
Focused ultrasound of the pleural cavities and the pericardium by nurses after cardiac surgery [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- ObjectivesWe aimed to study the feasibility and reliability of focused ultrasound (US) examinations to quantify pericardial (PE)- and pleural effusion (PLE) by a pocket-size imaging device (PSID) performed by nurses in patients early after cardiac surgery.
- Closing excerpt
- 89), both p ConclusionsCardiac nurses were able to obtain reliable measurements and quantification of both PE and PLE bedside by focused US and outperform the commonly used chest x-ray regarding PLE after cardiac surgery.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (167 words)
ObjectivesWe aimed to study the feasibility and reliability of focused ultrasound (US) examinations to quantify pericardial (PE)- and pleural effusion (PLE) by a pocket-size imaging device (PSID) performed by nurses in patients early after cardiac surgery.DesignAfter a 3-month training period, with cardiologists as supervisors, two nurses examined 59 patients (20 women) with US using a PSID at a median of 5 days after cardiac surgery. The amount of PE and PLE was classified in four categories by US (both) and chest x-ray (PLE only). Echocardiography, including US of the pleural cavities, by experienced cardiologists was used as reference.ResultsFocused US by the nurses was more sensitive than x-ray to detect PLE. The correlations of the quantification of PE and PLE by the nurses and reference was r (95% confidence interval) 0.76 (0.46-0.89) and 0.81 (0.73-0.89), both p ConclusionsCardiac nurses were able to obtain reliable measurements and quantification of both PE and PLE bedside by focused US and outperform the commonly used chest x-ray regarding PLE after cardiac surgery.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 25611808 · DOI · PMC4389761
Performance of Xpert® MTB/RIF in diagnosing tuberculous pleuritis using thoracoscopic pleural biopsy [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundEtiological diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis is challenging, owing to a paucity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in the affected region.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionsXpert is a good rule-in test but has limited value as a rule-out test for the diagnosis of tuberculosis pleuritis.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (252 words)
BackgroundEtiological diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis is challenging, owing to a paucity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in the affected region. Moreover, currently available methods, such as the detection of acid-fast bacilli and microbiological culture, are not always conducive to timely diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we evaluated the performance of Xpert® MTB/RIF assay (hereinafter referred to as "Xpert") in detecting MTB in difficult-to-diagnose patients using suspensions of pleural biopsy tissue specimens obtained under direct thoracoscopic guidance.MethodsOne hundred and sixty patients with an unexplained pleural effusion were included from the Shenyang Tenth People's Hospital and Shenyang Chest Hospital, China, between 2017 and 2018. The included patients underwent thoracoscopy under local anesthesia, with an intercostal incision of approximately 1.0 cm for biopsy. The biopsy specimens were used for pathological and etiological examinations. The Xpert test was evaluated for its sensitivity and specificity, as well as positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively), against data obtained using standards: the BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 liquid culture system and a composite reference standard (CRS).ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity of Xpert were 68.8 and 64.6%, respectively, against the MGIT 960 culture data. The PPV and NPV of Xpert were 56.4 and 75.6%, respectively. The sensitivity of Xpert was 69.0% against the CRS data, which was significantly higher than that of MGIT 960 culture (56.6%). The PPV and NPV of Xpert against the CRS data were 100.0 and 57.3%, respectively.ConclusionsXpert is a good rule-in test but has limited value as a rule-out test for the diagnosis of tuberculosis pleuritis.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33183269 · DOI · PMC7663888
Single-use bronchoscopes for pleural cavity access: cadaveric feasibility study [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- We conducted a cadaveric feasibility study of two intrapleural applications of single-use bronchoscopes.
- Closing excerpt
- Approach 2 was attempted and feasible in four hemithoraces; it was not attempted in two hemithoraces due to time constraints and a large persistent air leak after Approach (1) No negative-to-positive conversion (new persistent air leak) was observed after Approach (2) These techniques may offer complementary approaches to conventional methods for observing the intrathoracic space and therefore warrant stepwise clinical validation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (144 words)
We conducted a cadaveric feasibility study of two intrapleural applications of single-use bronchoscopes. In Approach 1, a 2.7 mm bronchoscope was used as a visual stylet inside a 20-Fr trocar catheter to confirm pleural entry and drain-tip position. In Approach 2, a 5.0 mm bronchoscope was used as a flexible thoracoscope for limited pleural inspection, aspiration, and direct-vision forceps biopsy; a sprayed-instillation maneuver was performed only to confirm technical deliverability. Approach 1 was attempted and feasible in six hemithoraces of three Thiel-embalmed cadavers. Approach 2 was attempted and feasible in four hemithoraces; it was not attempted in two hemithoraces due to time constraints and a large persistent air leak after Approach (1) No negative-to-positive conversion (new persistent air leak) was observed after Approach (2) These techniques may offer complementary approaches to conventional methods for observing the intrathoracic space and therefore warrant stepwise clinical validation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42113317 · DOI · PMC13506559
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Pneumothorax following thoracentesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Pleural mechanics and fluid exchange [6]
- Research article The biology of serous cavity macrophages [7]
- Research article Chest wall, lung, and pleural space trauma [8]
- Research article Effect of acute inflation on the mechanics of the inspiratory muscles [9]
- Research article Therapeutic thoracentesis: the role of ultrasound and pleural manometry [10]
References
- Jin H, Liu K, Tang J, Huang X, Wang H, Zhang Q, et al.. Genetic fate-mapping reveals surface accumulation but not deep organ invasion of pleural and peritoneal cavity macrophages following injury. . 2021. PMID 34001904 · DOI · PMC8129080
- Graven T, Wahba A, Hammer AM, Sagen O, Olsen Ø, Skjetne K, et al.. Focused ultrasound of the pleural cavities and the pericardium by nurses after cardiac surgery. . 2015. PMID 25611808 · DOI · PMC4389761
- Li C, Liu C, Sun B, Zhang W, Wang Y, Sun J, et al.. Performance of Xpert® MTB/RIF in diagnosing tuberculous pleuritis using thoracoscopic pleural biopsy. . 2020. PMID 33183269 · DOI · PMC7663888
- Imabayashi H, Sata Y, Inage T, Tanaka K, Suzuki T, Suzuki H. Single-use bronchoscopes for pleural cavity access: cadaveric feasibility study. . 2026. PMID 42113317 · DOI · PMC13506559
- Gordon CE, Feller-Kopman D, Balk EM, Smetana GW. Pneumothorax following thoracentesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2010. PMID 20177035 · DOI
- Lai-Fook SJ. Pleural mechanics and fluid exchange. Physiol Rev. 2004. PMID 15044678 · DOI
- Bain CC, Jenkins SJ. The biology of serous cavity macrophages. Cell Immunol. 2018. PMID 29397065 · DOI
- Miller LA. Chest wall, lung, and pleural space trauma. Radiol Clin North Am. 2006. PMID 16500204 · DOI
- De Troyer A, Wilson TA. Effect of acute inflation on the mechanics of the inspiratory muscles. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009. PMID 19265064 · DOI
- Feller-Kopman D. Therapeutic thoracentesis: the role of ultrasound and pleural manometry. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2007. PMID 17534178 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.