Physical examination maneuver
Physical Exam
Lung Auscultation
🎬
Video coming September 2026
How to Perform
Using the diaphragm of the stethoscope directly on the skin, listen over symmetric upper, middle, and lower posterior lung fields while the patient breathes slowly and deeply through an open mouth. Compare side to side at each level, listening through at least one full respiratory cycle at each point, and auscultate additional posterior, anterior, or lateral areas as clinically indicated. Note the intensity and quality of the breath sounds and any added sounds, such as crackles, wheezes, rhonchi, or a pleural rub.
How to Interpret
Showing 24 of 56 findings
Acute Coronary Syndrome
Pulmonary crackles in a patient with chest pain
Rule in
InconclusiveWide CI
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Limited
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Early inspiratory crackles
Rule in
HelpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Not helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Expiratory wheezing on auscultation in an adult with respiratory symptoms
Rule in
Somewhat helpful
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Strong
Any crackles
Rule in
Not helpful
Rule out
Not helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Foreign Body Aspiration
Wheezing in children
Rule in
Minimally helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Not helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Heart Failure
Fine inspiratory crackles (rales) on auscultation
Rule in
Somewhat helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Strong
Wheezing in an adult presenting with dyspnea to the emergency department
Rule in
Not helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Strong
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Inspiratory squawk
Rule in
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Not helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Interstitial Lung Disease
Fine inspiratory crackles
Rule in
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Mainstem Bronchus Intubation
Asymmetric breath sounds
Rule in
HelpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Myocardial Infarction
Crackles, detecting myocardial infarction in patients with chest pain
Rule in
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
—
Evidence:Limited
Obstructive Lung Disease
Diminished or absent breath sounds in an adult with respiratory symptoms
Rule in
Somewhat helpful
Rule out
Minimally helpful
Evidence:Strong
Pleural Effusion
Diminished breath sounds
Rule in
HelpfulDerived CI
Rule out
HelpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited
Pleural friction rub
Rule in
InconclusiveWide CI
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Limited
Pneumonia
Crackles (any type — fine, coarse, or unspecified)
Rule in
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Not helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Strong
Diminished breath sounds, detecting pneumonia in patients with cough and fever
Rule in
Somewhat helpful
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Strong
Rhonchi
Rule in
Minimally helpful
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Strong
Pleural friction rub
Rule in
InconclusiveWide CI
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Strong
Wheezing
Rule in
Not helpful
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Strong
Bronchial breath sounds in peripheral lung
Rule in
Somewhat helpfulNo CI
Rule out
Not helpfulNo CI
Evidence:Limited
Pneumothorax
Diminished breath sounds
Rule in
Very helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Somewhat helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Strong
Pulmonary Embolism
Wheezes
Rule in
Not helpfulNo CI
Rule out
Somewhat helpfulNo CI
Evidence:Limited
Crackles
Rule in
Not helpfulNo CI
Rule out
Not helpfulNo CI
Evidence:Limited
Pleural friction rub
Rule in
Not helpfulNo CI
Rule out
Not helpfulNo CI
Evidence:Limited