Question: what is the difference between pulmonary edema and pleural effusion?
Answer: Pulmonary edema happens when fluid collects inside the lungs, in the alveoli, making it hard to breathe. Plural effusion also involves fluid in the lung area, and it is sometimes called “water on the lungs.” However, in pleural effusion, water fluid collects in the layers of the pleura that are ouside the lungs.