Breath sounds refer to the specific sounds identified through auscultation of the respiratory system with a stethoscope.

In this context, “adventitious” refers to sounds heard apart from the normal sounds of inspiration and expiration.

A new technology, vibration response imaging, produces dynamic images of the lungs by measuring the vibration energy generated in lungs is under investigation. It is non-invasive and radiation-free.

There are a variety of breath sounds:

• Rales (or “Crackles”)
• Wheeze and stridor
• Friction rub ^[1]
• Rhonchi ^[2]— indicative of bronchitis
• Inspiratory gasp- indicative of whooping cough
• Crepitations ^[3]
• Hamman’s sign (or Mediastinal crunch)^[4]— indicative of pneumomediastinum

In alphabetical order^{[5] [6]}

• Abdominal, pleuritic, chest wall pain
• Aspirated foreign body
• Asthma
• Atelectasis
• Bronchiectasis
• Bronchiolitis
• Bronchitis
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Croup
• Diaphragmatic paralysis
• Emphysema
• Epiglottitis
• Goiter
• Increased girth of abdomen
• Kyphosis
• Pleurisy
• Pulmonary Edema
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis
• Scoliosis

• Alveoloar hemorrhage
• Chylothorax
• Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Hemothorax
• Large pulmonary embolism
• Obesity
• Pleural Effusion
• Pleural thickening
• Pneumonectomy
• Pneumothorax
• Psychogenic
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Vocal cord dyskinesia
• Vocal cord paralysis

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