pleural cavity
- noun
- /ˈplʊrəl ˈkævɪti/
- Specialized
- As a result, fluid accumulates in the rats' pleural cavity—the space surrounding the lungs.
- the right pleural cavity
Examples
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He underwent thoracoscopy through the right pleural cavity.
Academic text (2007) -
Pressure building in the pleural cavity.
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The scintigraphy demonstrated the entry of the radiocolloid into the right pleural cavity and then into the chest tube in about half an hour's time.
Academic text (2007) -
The scan showed clearance of colloid particles from the peritoneal to the pleural cavity.
Academic text (2007) -
The doctor explained that the fluid buildup was causing pressure in the pleural cavity.
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After the accident, the X-ray revealed a significant amount of air in his pleural cavity.
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She was diagnosed with pneumonia, which had led to infection in her pleural cavity.
Synonyms
The thin space between the two layers around the lungs that holds a little fluid
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: 'pleural' (related to the pleura/chest) + 'cavity' (a hollow or space) directly yields 'the space associated with the pleura.' This follows standard anatomical naming patterns that are cross-linguistically familiar, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pleural cavity comes from the words pleural, the thin sheets that cover each lung, and cavity, a small 'space'. Those two sheets make a tiny space with a little fluid so the lungs can move easily, so the term means the 'space' around the lungs that helps them move.