Stethoscope Created 2026-10-31 Updated 2026-11-05
A stethoscope couples sounds at the body surface to a listener or recording system for auscultation. In an acoustic instrument, the chestpiece and air-filled tubing transmit sound waves toward the ears; electronic designs instead use a sensor and amplification. The instrument changes access to an acoustic signal, but interpreting the source still requires timing, anatomical context and comparison with other findings. [ref]