Thorax & Lungs

Question 1

Adventitious breath sounds

Answer 1

Adventitious breath sounds: abnormal auscultated breath sounds such as crackles, rhonchi, wheezes and friction rub.

Question 2

Apnea

Answer 2

Apnea: a temporary halt to breathing.

Question 3

Asthma

Answer 3

Asthma (reactive airway disease): small airway obstruction caused by inflammation and hyperactive airways.

Question 4

Atelectasis

Answer 4

Atelectasis: incomplete expansion of the lung.

Question 5

Barrel chest

Answer 5

Barrel chest: increased anteroposterior diameter of the chest, often with some degree of kyphosis; commonly seen with COPD.

Question 6

Biot respirations

Answer 6

Biot respirations: irregular respirations varying in depth and interrupted by intervals of apnea that lacks repetitive pattern.

Question 7

Bronchiectasis

Answer 7

Bronchiectasis: chronic dilation of the bronchi or bronchioles caused by repeated infections or bronchial obstructions.

Question 8

Bronchitis

Answer 8

Bronchitis: inflammation of the large airways.

Question 9

Bronchophony

Answer 9

Bronchophony: an exaggeration of vocal resonance emanating from a bronchus surrounded by consolidated lung tissue (greater clarity and increased loudness of the spoken word).

Question 10

Bronchiolitis

Answer 10

Bronchiolitis: inflammation of the bronchioles.

Question 11

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)

Answer 11

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): disease process which causes decreased ability of the lungs to perform their function of ventilation (nonspecific diagnosis that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema).

Question 12

Dyspnea

Answer 12

Dyspnea: difficult and labored breathing, shortness of breath.

Question 13

Egophony

Answer 13

Egophony: the auditory quality associated with an increased intensity of the spoken voice along with a nasal quality (e’s become stuffy broad a’s). May be present in any condition that consolidates lung tissue.

Question 14

Hemoptysis

Answer 14

Hemoptysis: the coughing up of blood or bloodstained sputum from the respiratory tree.

Question 15

Kyphosis

Answer 15

Kyphosis: an increased convex curvature of the thoracic spine.

Question 16

Vesicular

Answer 16

Vesicular: heard over most of the lung fields; low pitch, soft and short expirations.

Question 17

Tubular

Answer 17

Tubular: heard only over trachea, high pitch; loud and long expirations, sometimes a bit longer than inspiration.

Question 18

Bronchovesicular

Answer 18

Bronchovesicular: heard over main bronchus area and over upper right posterior lung field; medium pitch; expiration equals inspiration.

Question 19

Orthopnea

Answer 19

Orthopnea: shortness of breath that begins or increases when the patient lies down.

Question 20

Pectoriloquy

Answer 20

Pectoriloquy: a striking transmission of voice sounds through the pulmonary structures, so that they are clearly audible through the stethoscope; commonly occurs from lung consolidation.

Question 21

Pectus carinatum

Answer 21

Pectus carinatum (Pigeon chest): forward protrusion of the sternum.

Question 22

Pectus excavatum

Answer 22

Pectus excavatum (Funnel chest): depression of the sternum.

Question 23

Resonance

Answer 23

Resonance: quality of the sound heard on percussion of a hollow structure such as the chest or abdomen.

Question 24

Tachypnea

Answer 24

Tachypnea: rapid, usually shallow, breathing.

Question 25

Tactile fremitus

Answer 25

Tactile fremitus: a tremor or vibration in any part of the body detected on palpation.

Question 26

Whispered pectoriloquy

Answer 26

Whispered pectoriloquy: the transmission of a whisper in the same way as that of more readily audible speech, commonly, detected when the lung is consolidated by pneumonia (increase in the volume of voice sounds).