Lung Sounds
Lung sounds, also called respiratory sounds or breath sounds, can be auscultated across the anterior and posterior chest walls with a stethoscope. Adventitious lung sounds are referenced as crackles (rales), wheezes (rhonchi), stridor and pleural rubs as well as voiced sounds that include egophony, bronchophony and whispered pectoriloquy. Descriptions and audio recordings for all of these sounds are available below.
Normal breath sounds over other chest wall areas
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Tracheal and mainstem bronshi breath sounds
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Bronchovesicular breath sounds
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Bronchophony (normal)
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Egophony (normal)
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Whispered pectoriloquy
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Tracheal and mainstem bronchi breath sounds
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Normal breath sounds (midlung)
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Normal breath sounds (apex)
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Bronchial breath sounds (consolidation)
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Bronchial breath sounds (atelectasis)
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Bronchial breath sounds (fibrosis)
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Bronchophony (consolidation)
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Bronchophony (normal)
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Bronchophony (consolidation)
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Whispered pectoriloquy (atelectasis)
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Whispered pectoriloquy (normal)
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Egophony (tumor, pleural effusion)
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Egophonly (normal)
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Diminished breath sounds (shallow breathing)
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Diminished breath sounds (diaphragmatic paralysis)
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Absent breath sounds (pneumothorax)
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Normal breath sounds (pneumothorax)
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Absent breath sounds (pneumothorax)
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Diminished breath sounds (pleural effusion)
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Normal breath sounds (pleural effusion)
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Diminished breath sounds (pleural effusion)
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Diminished breath sounds (hyperinflated lungs)
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Diminished breath sounds (obesity)
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Diminished breath sounds (positive end-expiratory pressure)
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Coarse crackles
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Fine crackles
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Wheezes
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Low-pitched wheezes
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Late inspiratory crackles (atelectasis)
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Late inspiratory crackles (lobar pneumonia)
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Late inspiratory crackles (interstitial fibrosis)
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Late inspiratory crackles (left ventricular heart failure)
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Early inspiratory crackles (chronic bronchitis)
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Early -to mid-inspiratory crackles (bronchiectasis)
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Pleural crackles
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Expiratory polyphonic wheezes
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Fixed monophonic wheezes
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Sequential inspiratory wheezes
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Random monophonic wheezes
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Stridor
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