Pleurisy

To diagnose pleurisy, your healthcare provider will listen to your lungs and ask you about your health history. They’ll ask you questions about your pain, like where it hurts, what it feels like and if anything makes it worse. They may want you to get imaging or other tests done.

What tests will be done to diagnose pleurisy?

Your healthcare provider uses tests to diagnose pleurisy and figure out the underlying cause. Possible tests include:

• Blood tests. Your provider looks at a sample of your blood for signs of infection or autoimmune disorders.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). Your provider may use small electrodes on your body to see how well your heart is working. This is to make sure a heart problem isn’t causing your chest pain.
• Imaging tests. Your provider takes pictures of your lungs using X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds to help them figure out what’s causing your pain.
• Fluid testing (thoracentesis). Your provider inserts a small needle into the area around your lungs and removes fluid. They examine the fluid for signs of infection or clues to other causes of pleurisy.
• Thoracoscopy. Your provider uses a small, lighted tube with a camera to look inside your lungs and find any problems.

Will a chest X-ray show pleurisy?

Chest X-rays can’t show pleurisy directly, but they can give your provider clues about what might be causing your symptoms, like fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion) or an infection (pneumonia).