The resonance of the voice, when spoken or whispered words can be clearly heard through the stethoscope placed on the chest wall. It is a sign of consolidation, or of a cavity, in the lung.
n. abnormal transmission of the patient’s voice sounds through the chest wall so that they can be clearly heard through a stethoscope. Whispered sounds (whispering pectoriloquy) can be heard over the lung of a patient with pneumonia.
the sounds heard through the stethoscope when the patient speaks (“ninety nine”). These are normally just audible but become much louder (bronchophony) if the lung under the stethoscope is consolidated, when they resemble the sounds heard over the trachea and main bronchi. Vocal resonance is lost over pleural fluid except at its upper surface, when it has a bleating quality and is called aegophony. See also pectoriloquy.... vocal resonance
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