stethoscope

stethoscope
An instrument originally devised by Laennec for aid in hearing the respiratory and cardiac sounds in the chest, but now modified in various ways and used in auscultation of any of vascular or other sounds anywhere in the body. [stetho- + G. skopeo, to view]
- binaural s. a s. in which the two ear pieces connect with a single bell.
- Bowles type s. a s. in which the chest piece is a shallow metal cup about 4.5 cm in diameter, the mouth of which is covered by a hard rubber or celluloid diaphragm.
- differential s. a s. having two chest pieces so that two sounds in different parts of the chest may be heard simultaneously and compared.

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stetho·scope 'steth-ə-.skōpalso 'steth- n an instrument used to detect and study sounds produced in the body that are conveyed to the ears of the listener through rubber tubing connected with a usu. cup-shaped piece placed upon the area to be examined
stetho·scop·ic .steth-ə-'skäp-ikalso .steth- adj
stetho·scop·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adv

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n.
an instrument used for listening to sounds within the body, such as those in the heart and lungs (see auscultation). A simple stethoscope usually consists of a diaphragm or an open bell-shaped structure (which is applied to the body) connected by rubber or plastic tubes to earpieces for the examiner. More complicated devices may contain electronic amplification systems to aid diagnosis.

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stetho·scope (stethґo-skōp) [stetho- + -scope] an instrument for performing mediate auscultation, through which respiratory, cardiac, pleural, arterial, venous, uterine, fetal, intestinal, and other internal body sounds are conveyed to the ear of the examiner; numerous different forms and sizes are available. stethoscopic adj

Stethoscope.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • stéthoscope — [ stetɔskɔp ] n. m. • 1819; du gr. stêthos « poitrine » et scope ♦ Instrument destiné à l auscultation des bruits à travers les parois du corps. Stéthoscope biauriculaire, comportant une plaque réceptrice où convergent deux tubes flexibles qui s… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Stethoscope — Stéthoscope Un stéthoscope (du grec stêthos (στῆθος), poitrine , et scope du grec ancien skopein (σκοπεϊν), « observer ») est un instrument médical acoustique, utilisé pour l auscultation, c’est à dire l écoute des sons internes au… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Stethoscope — Steth o*scope, v. t. To auscultate, or examine, with a stethoscope. M. W. Savage. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stethoscope — 1820, from Fr. stéthoscope, coined 1819 by its inventor, Fr. physician René Théophile Hyacinthe Laënnec (1781 1826) from Gk. stethos chest, breast + SCOPE (Cf. scope). Gk. stethos is perhaps related to sternon (see STERNUM (Cf. sternum)); it… …   Etymology dictionary

  • stethoscope — [steth′ə skōp΄] n. [Fr stéthoscope: see STETHO & SCOPE] Med. a hearing instrument used in auscultation, for examining the heart, lungs, etc. by listening to the sounds they make stethoscopic [steth′ōskäp′ik] adj. stethoscopical stethoscopically… …   English World dictionary

  • Stethoscope — Steth o*scope (st[e^]th [ o]*sk[=o]p), n. [Gr. sth^qos the breast + scope: cf. F. st[ e]thoscope.] (Med.) An instrument used in auscultation for examining the organs of the chest, as the heart and lungs, by conveying to the ear of the examiner… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stethoscope — ► NOUN ▪ a medical instrument for listening to the action of someone s heart or breathing, having a small disc that is placed against the chest and two tubes connected to earpieces. ORIGIN from Greek st thos breast + skopein look at …   English terms dictionary

  • Stethoscope — Modern stethoscope. The stethoscope (from Greek στηθοσκόπιο, from στήθος, stéthos chest and σκοπή, skopé examination) is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, or listening to the internal sounds of an animal body. It is often used to… …   Wikipedia

  • Stéthoscope — Un stéthoscope (du grec stêthos (στῆθος), poitrine , et scope du grec ancien skopein (σκοπεϊν), « observer ») est un instrument médical acoustique, utilisé pour l auscultation, c’est à dire l écoute des sons internes au corps humain.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • stethoscope — UK [ˈsteθəˌskəʊp] / US [ˈsteθəˌskoʊp] noun [countable] Word forms stethoscope : singular stethoscope plural stethoscopes a piece of equipment used by doctors for listening to someone s heart or breathing …   English dictionary

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