Which assessment technique is used to evaluate lung sounds?

The technique used to evaluate lung sounds is auscultation with a stethoscope. This method allows healthcare providers to listen to the sounds produced by air moving through the respiratory system, including the lungs and bronchi. By placing the stethoscope on various areas of the chest, the provider can assess for normal breath sounds, as well as any abnormal sounds such as wheezing, crackles, or diminished lung sounds that may indicate respiratory conditions.

Other options, such as palpation of the chest, typically involve feeling for abnormalities in the chest wall or respiratory symmetry but do not provide information about the sounds of lung function. A visual examination of the lungs can reveal certain physical signs but does not capture sound information. A CT scan of the thorax is a diagnostic imaging tool that offers detailed views of lung tissue and structures, but it is not used for real-time assessment of lung sounds. Thus, auscultation remains the definitive technique for evaluating lung sounds in a clinical setting.