Percussion

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Percussion

Percussion is a method of tapping body parts with fingers, hands, or small instruments as part of a physical examination. The purpose is to evaluate the size, consistency, borders, and presence or absence of fluid in body organs.

Percussion of a body part produces a sound -- like playing a drum -- that indicates the type of tissue within the organ:

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

Review Date: 01/22/2007
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.