Pleural and pericardial effusions as prognostic factors in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a multicenter study.

Pleural effusion is a common finding in patients with acute pulmonary embolism, occurring in 40.5% of cases, and is a prognostic imaging finding associated with 30-day mortality. The presence of pleural effusion alone, regardless of volume or density, has been shown to be prognostic and should be included in CT reports. The prognostic role of pericardial effusion is limited.