Acute Hydrothorax Diagnosed Through Scintigraphy in a Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis

Acute hydrothorax after peritoneal dialysis (PD) is uncommon. Differential diagnoses of various clinical conditions that can result in pleural effusions are necessary. Erroneous diagnoses and subsequent management not only increase the time required for resolving a problem but also deteriorate a patient’s clinical condition. We report the case of a 55-year-old woman who received regular PD due to chronic renal failure. She experienced diffused abdominal pain 2 hours after PD. Furthermore, dyspnea developed the following morning. A chest plain film revealed a massive right-sided pleural effusion. Peritoneo-pleural communication caused by a diaphragmatic defect was diagnosed rapidly using lung perfusion scintigraphy.