Percussion

Percussion is a method of tapping body parts with fingers, hands, or small instruments as part of a physical examination. It is done to determine:

The size, consistency, and borders of body organs
The presence or absence of fluid in body areas

Percussion of a body part produces a sound, like playing a drum. The sound is a sign of the type of tissue within the body part or organ.

Lungs sound hollow on percussion because they are filled with air.
Bones, joints, and solid organs such as the liver sound solid.
The abdomen sounds like a hollow organ filled with air, fluid, or solids.

Images

Related Information

Physical examination

References

Swartz MH, Swartz TH. The physical examination. In: Swartz MH, ed. Textbook of Physical Diagnosis: History and Examination. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.

Review Date: 2/2/2023

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