SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF RESONANT SOUNDS OF CHEST PERCUSSION

Abstract General clinical examination, in the consulting room or in the out-patient department determines not only a provisional diagnosis but also provides the clinician information whether the patient needs hospitalisation and further investigation. Inspection, auscultation, palpation and percussion forms the basis of clinical examination. Whilst much has been described and discussed on the first three procedures, inspection, auscultation and palpation, far less attention has been focused on the correct method and diagnostic significance of percussion. In this brief communication we discuss the results obtained through a computerized spectral analysis of percussion sounds. It is suggested that, noting the high accuracy and reliability of spectral percussion sound read-out analysis, medical equipment designers manufacturers could well bring out a simple hand-held device which could analyse the percussion sounds to yield the most prominent of amplitude and frequency; such ready and reliable information that could be of much diagnostic and prognostic significance.