Where should you auscultate to best hear lung sounds?

• A. Over the lower back only
• B. Along the sternum
• C. Mid-clavicular and mid-axillary lines
• D. At the base of the skull

Answer: (C)

To hear lung sounds most effectively you want to cover the chest from the apex to the bases on both sides, using sites that give access to the full lung fields. Placing the stethoscope along the mid-clavicular line on the front of the chest and along the mid-axillary line on the side provides access to the upper, middle, and lower portions of the lungs on each side, allowing you to compare symmetric areas and catch different sounds that may be present in various regions. This wider coverage is why those locations are preferred. Listening only over the lower back would miss much of the anterior and lateral lung fields, listening at the sternum is too limited to hear all lobes clearly, and the base of the skull is not used for chest auscultation.