HESI (Health and Environmental Sciences Institute) Health Assessment Practice Test

Bronchophony refers to an abnormal increase in clarity of transmitted sounds from the lungs to the chest wall during auscultation. When a healthcare professional auscultates the chest and notes bronchophony, it usually indicates that there is some form of lung consolidation.

Consolidation occurs when the lung tissue becomes firm due to the accumulation of fluid, such as in pneumonia. In such cases, denser lung tissue effectively transmits sound better than normal (more aerated) lung tissue. This results in a patient’s spoken words or breath sounds being heard more clearly through the stethoscope. The phenomenon reflects changes in lung density, where the lung is either filled with fluid or solidified.

In contrast, the other options do not appropriately describe bronchophony. For instance, improved lung density or decreased lung density would indicate a healthy lung or a reduction in lung mass leading to more airflow, both of which do not explain the clarity of sounds heard. A sign of normal lung function suggests that the lung is functioning without any complications, which would not lead to bronchophony. Thus, bronchophony serves as an important clinical indicator of the presence of lung consolidation.