Lungs and Thorax Essentials Flashcards

Front

Tactile fremitus

Back

Palpable vibration transmitted through the chest wall when the patient speaks; increased vibratory transmission occurs with consolidation (eg, pneumonia) and decreased with pleural effusion or pneumothorax.

Front

Vesicular breath sounds

Back

Soft, low-pitched sounds heard over most of the lung periphery in healthy lungs; indicate normal air entry into the alveolar regions during inspiration.

Front

Bronchial breath sounds

Back

Loud, high-pitched sounds normally heard over the trachea; if heard over peripheral lung fields, can indicate consolidation or pathology.

Front

Bronchovesicular breath sounds

Back

Medium-pitched sounds heard in the major bronchi; balance between bronchial and vesicular sounds; can be normal at the upper sternum and between the scapulae.

Front

Crackles

Back

Discontinuous lung sounds; fine crackles are high-pitched and occur at inspiration, coarse crackles are lower-pitched and may clear with coughing; can indicate atelectasis or fluid.

Front

Wheeze

Back

Continuous musical sounds produced by narrowed airways; can be high-pitched (sibilant) or low-pitched (rhonchi) and often indicate asthma or COPD.

Front

Pleural friction rub

Back

Grating, low-frequency sound produced by inflamed pleural surfaces rubbing together; typically heard during respiration.

Front

Egophony

Back

Voice change where the spoken “EEE” sound becomes an “A” sound over consolidation; indicates lung pathology.

Front

Atelectasis crackles

Back

Crackles that may occur with alveolar collapse and usually clear with coughing; often heard in the bases.

Front

Pneumothorax

Back

Air in the pleural space causing loss of normal lung expansion; may produce hyperresonance and absent breath sounds on the affected side.

Front

Pleural effusion

Back

Accumulation of fluid in the pleural space; typically causes dullness to percussion and decreased breath sounds at the lung base.

Front

Barrel chest

Back

Increased anterior-posterior diameter of the chest; often associated with COPD and hyperinflation of the lungs.

Front

Kyphosis

Back

Excessive posterior curvature of the thoracic spine; can reduce chest expansion and affect respiratory mechanics.

Front

Cheyne-Stokes respiration

Back

Pattern of waxing and waning tidal volumes with alternating periods of apnea; seen in heart failure and various neurologic conditions.

Front

SpO2

Back

Oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry; normal values are typically 95-100% at sea level. Values below normal prompt further assessment.

Front

6-minute walk test

Back

A functional test measuring the distance a patient can walk in six minutes to assess exercise tolerance and cardiopulmonary status.

Front

Auscultation site coverage

Back

Systematic auscultation includes anterior and posterior lung fields to ensure all lobes and zones are evaluated for differences in breath sounds.

Front

Arterial oxygenation baseline

Back

SpO2 readings must be interpreted with context, including baseline and need for supplemental oxygen; room air values around 95% are typical for many adults.