Auscultatory breath sounds
| Auscultatory breath sound | Character | Clinical correlation |
|---|---|---|
| Normal (vesicular) breath sound | Soft Nonmusical Inspiration/expiration | Diminished in hypoventilation, airway narrowing, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and lung destruction. |
| Tracheal (tubular) breath sound heard at the periphery | Hollow Nonmusical Inspiration/expiration | Consolidation or compressed lung (pneumonia, tumor, atelectasis) |
| Wheeze | Musical and high-pitched Inspiration/expiration | Upper airway obstruction Widespread airflow limitation |
| Rhonchi | Musical and low-pitched Inspiration/expiration | Airway narrowing by mucous thickening, edema, or bronchospasm |
| Fine crackles | Short Explosive Nonmusical Mid to late inspiration | Heard in interstitial lung disease, congestive heart failure, fibrosis, pneumoconiosis, pneumonia |
| Coarse crackles | Short Explosive Nonmusical Early inspiration Throughout expiration | Indicates intermittent airway opening in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| Stridor | Musical High-pitched Audible to unaided ear | Upper airway obstruction Extrathoracic in inspiration Intrathoracic in expiration Fixed lesions biphasic |
| Squawk | Short musical wheeze Accompanying crackles | Pneumonia (acutely) Interstitial lung disease Pneumonitis |
Based on information in reference 4.