View source for Egophony

'''Egophony''' (British: Aegophony) is an increased resonance of voice sounds<ref>{{DorlandsDict|three/000034011|egophony}}</ref> heard when auscultating the lungs, often caused by [[lung consolidation]] and [[fibrosis]]. It is due to enhanced transmission of high-frequency noise across fluid, such as in abnormal lung tissue, with lower frequencies filtered out. It results in a high-pitched nasal or bleating quality in the affected person's voice.

==Technique==
While listening to the lungs with a stethoscope, the patient is asked to say the letter "e."  What is heard is a higher pitched sound that sounds like the letter "a." Some doctors refer to this as "'''e to a transition'''." Most commonly, this indicates pneumonia.

In the UK it is conventional on respiratory examination to auscultate the chest while asking the patient to repeat the word "ninety-nine". There is, however, regional variation with medical students and doctors from Edinburgh preferring the phrase "one-one-one" due to its more rounded sound.

==Related techniques==
Similar terms are [[bronchophony]] and [[whispered pectoriloquy]].  The mechanism is the same: fluid or consolidation causes the sound of the voice to be transmitted loudly to the periphery of the lungs where it is usually not heard.

==Causes==
* Above the level of [[pleural effusion]]
* [[Pneumonia]] (lung [[consolidation]])
* [[Fibrosis]]

==Etymology==
Egophony comes from the Greek word for "[[goat]]," (''aix'', ''aig-'') in reference to the bleating quality of the sound.<ref>{{cite journal | author=Sapira JD | title=About egophony | journal=Chest | year=1995 | pages=865–7 | volume=108 | issue=3  | pmid=7656646 | doi=10.1378/chest.108.3.865}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mediscuss.org/respiratory-auscultation-tips-audio-mp3-examples-71-page4.html Abnormal Respiratory Vocal Sounds]

{{Circulatory and respiratory system symptoms and signs}}

[[Category:Audible medical signs]]


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