Respiratory Care – Assessment & Diagnostics

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing common respiratory assessment findings, laboratory values, and chest radiograph terminology drawn from the lecture notes.

Vocal Fremitus

The palpable vibration of the chest wall that increases when sound transmission through lung tissue is enhanced, as in pneumonia.

Atelectasis

Collapse of lung tissue that reduces or eliminates air in the alveoli, often decreasing vocal fremitus and producing a dull percussion note.

Pleural Effusion

Accumulation of fluid in the pleural space that dampens tactile fremitus and produces a dull or flat percussion sound.

Pneumothorax

Presence of air in the pleural space leading to lung collapse, hyper-resonant percussion, and reduced fremitus.

Pneumonia

Infection with alveolar consolidation that increases vocal fremitus and produces bronchial breath sounds over affected areas.

Dull Percussion Note

Soft, thud-like sound on chest percussion indicating denser tissue such as consolidation, pleural thickening, or atelectasis.

Pleural Thickening

Fibrotic or inflammatory thickening of the pleura, often yielding a dull percussion note but reduced breath sounds.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A progressive airflow-limitation disorder characterized by hyperinflation, hyper-resonant percussion, and decreased breath sounds.

Bronchial Breath Sounds

High-pitched, tubular sounds normally over the trachea but heard over lung fields when alveoli are consolidated or collapsed against a patent bronchus.

Alveolar Consolidation

Filling of alveoli with fluid, pus, or cells, causing increased sound transmission (e.g., bronchial breath sounds and whispered pectoriloquy).

Fluid in the Tracheobronchial Tree

Secretions within airways that produce coarse breath sounds and may alter sound transmission.

Eosinophils

Granulocytic leukocytes activated in allergic reactions and parasitic infections; elevated in allergic asthma.

Neutrophils

Most abundant white blood cells (≈60–70%) and the primary defense against bacterial infection.

Monocytes

Large phagocytic leukocytes that become macrophages in tissues and assist in chronic inflammation.

Basophils

Granulocytes that release histamine and other mediators; participate in hypersensitivity reactions.

Minimum Safe Platelet Count

≈50,000 platelets/mm³, the commonly accepted lower limit before invasive procedures such as bronchoscopy or arterial catheter insertion.

Hyperglycemia

Elevated blood glucose associated with diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, diuretic therapy, and acute infection.

Hyponatremia

Serum sodium <135 mEq/L presenting with seizures, confusion, muscle twitching, and abdominal cramps.

Hematocrit – Female Normal

The percentage of blood volume occupied by red cells in healthy women (≈38%).

Hemoglobin – Male Normal

Concentration of oxygen-carrying protein in men, typically 14–16 g/dL.

Neutrophil Differential

Neutrophils normally constitute about 60–70% of the total white blood cell count.

Red Blood Cell Count – Male Normal

Approximate normal value of 5,000,000 RBCs per mm³ in healthy adult men.

White Blood Cell Count – Normal Range

Total leukocyte count of about 5,000–10,000 cells/mm³ in healthy adults.

Wheezing

High-pitched musical sound, mainly expiratory, caused by bronchospasm and characteristic of asthma.

Whispered Pectoriloquy

Abnormally clear transmission of whispered words through the stethoscope, indicating underlying alveolar consolidation or atelectasis.

Orthopnea

Dyspnea that occurs when lying flat and improves when sitting or standing up; common in heart failure.

Kussmaul's Respiration

Deep, rapid breathing pattern associated with severe metabolic acidosis, e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis.

Biot's Respiration

Irregular breathing with periods of apnea, often due to increased intracranial pressure or CNS injury.

Posteroanterior (PA) Chest Radiograph

Standard frontal chest X-ray with the patient facing the cassette; provides the least heart magnification.

Anteroposterior (AP) Chest Radiograph

Frontal view with X-ray beam traveling front-to-back, often portable; magnifies the heart and may appear hazier.

Lateral Chest Radiograph

Side-view X-ray; placing the left chest against the cassette best visualizes the right lung and heart.

Lateral Decubitus Radiograph

Side-lying X-ray (e.g., right side down) useful for detecting pleural fluid or free air.

Mediastinal Shift

Deviation of mediastinal structures toward or away from a lung field; leftward shift can result from left-upper-lobe atelectasis or fibrosis.