SPLENOMEGALY/RIGHT PLEURAL EFFUSION FOLLOWUP

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY FIST QUESTION ON 12/12/03. MY NEXT QUESTION IS THIS:
BECAUSE I WAS GETTING AN ULTRASOUND TO CHECK FOR LIVER PROBLEMS DO YOU FEEL IT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE LIVER RELATED THAN CANCER RELATED?( FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUING LETS NOT TALK ABOUT THE EASY STUFF... INFECTIONS, PNEUMONIA, ETC...) AGAIN I HAD SLIGHTLY ELEVATED AST/ALT AND FAMILY HISTORY OF CRYPTIGENIC LIVER DISEASE ( MY BROTHER ). DURING THE ULTRASOUND THEY FOUND A SLIGHTLY ENLARGED SPLEEN ( 14CM ) AND A VERY SMALL RIGHT PLEUAL EFFUSION. I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE MY FOLLOW UP VISIT THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY, SHOULD I BE OK WITH THIS DATE? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN  RIGHT NOW? WHAT SHOULD I ASK THE DOCTOR TO DO NEXT? AND WHAT SHOULD I MAKE SURE HE RULES OUT? ONE LAST THING... I WAS DOING SOME READING AND FOUND A PLACE WERE IT REFFERENCED BOTH CIRRHOSIS AND PLEURAL EFFUSION... IT SAID THAT IF A PLEURAL EFFUSION WAS FOUND AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE SECONDARY TO THE CIRRHOSIS... THEY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 5 YRS OR LESS!!! IS THIS CLOSE TO BEING TRUE?? I TRY NOT TO BELEIVE EVERYTHING I READ. ANYWAY THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.
THANKS
PAT140

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I cannot give specific recommendations (i.e. is it ok with that date), without being personally involved in your case.  

If there is concern about the pleural effusion, the next step would be to obtain a sample of it via a procedure known as a thoracentesis.  This can determine whether the fluid is due to cancer, the liver, infection etc.  The analysis of the fluid can point to certain diagnoses.  

Regarding the diseases you are reading about, I would first get the analysis of what is present in your fluid before jumping to any conclusions.  There are plenty of less threatening diseases that can also give pleural effusions as well.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.