A comparison of handheld point of care ultrasonography to standard portable ultrasonography for identifying an optimal site for pleurocentesis in patients with pleural effusions

We will examine whether a highly portable handheld ultrasound would be able to determine a safe site with a standard point of care ultrasound used as the gold standard for diagnostic pleurocentesis. In this study, we will perform paired ultrasound assessments of patients with pleural effusions who are referred for diagnostic pleurocentesis. The intervention involves the patient undergoing two ultrasound assessments by a respiratory fellow and respiratory physician. The handheld ultrasound assessment is performed prior to the standard ultrasound assessment and takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes. This involves ultrasound gel on the side of the chest and the probe placed on the chest of the patient. A second assessor then performs the same ultrasound assessment with the standard ultrasound machine which also takes 5 to 10 minutes with the participant seated in the same location. Treatment will not be changed by the handheld ultrasound as the standard ultrasound will be used as the gold standard. The respiratory fellow and respiratory physician will be alternately allocated to either the handheld ultrasound or standard ultrasound machine.