Acoustics of Electronic Stethoscopes for Health Professionals.
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| Title: | Acoustics of Electronic Stethoscopes for Health Professionals. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Atcherson, Samuel R.1 sratcherson@uams.edu, Rennert, Nancy J.2, Hein, Sarah J.3 |
| Source: | American Journal of Audiology. Jun2026, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p760-770. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Research, Stethoscopes, Auscultation, Respiratory organ sounds, Human anatomical models, Noise, Acoustics, Wearable technology, Signal processing, Descriptive statistics, Assistive listening systems, Electronic amplifiers, Heart sounds |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Commercially available electronic stethoscopes for auscultation often report amplification levels and may or may not publish amplitude--frequency (spectral) response curves. Additional data may be helpful to consumers who use stethoscopes in less-than-ideal listening environments or have hearing loss. The purpose of this research was to describe our method for evaluating electronic stethoscopes relative to a nonelectronic stethoscope. Method: One nonelectronic and eight electronic stethoscopes at maximum volume with their bell and diaphragm modes were acoustically evaluated using digitized heart and breath sounds, a stethoscope speaker pad, and an industry-standard manikin ear simulator. Some electronic stethoscopes had wireless connectivity to wearable Bluetooth earbuds, and these were evaluated also. For each stethoscope, output measurements of digitized heart and breath sounds were recorded in a quiet room. For direct comparisons, measurements were categorized by expected spectra into heart (bell) sounds (~20-500 Hz) and breath (diaphragm) sounds (~100-1000 Hz). Results: Relative to published human threshold tone and 1/3-octave band data, as well as nonelectronic stethoscope output, all electronic stethoscopes clearly demonstrated some measure of amplification across the amplitude--frequency (spectral) range for digitized normal heart and breath sounds. Differences observed may be specific to bell versus diaphragm modes, acoustical tubing (or lack thereof), wired versus wireless modes, models within the same make, and use of active noise cancellation, to name a few. Importantly, manufacturer-reported amplification values (e.g., "x" specifications) did not reliably reflect frequency-specific acoustic output within clinically relevant heart and breath sound regions. Conclusions: The methodology described to analyze stethoscope outputs appears to be an effective starting point for evaluating various characteristics of stethoscopes with a lens toward assisting health professionals and students working in less-than-ideal listening situations or for those with hearing loss. While all electronic stethoscopes evaluated offered amplification, there was great variability in amplitude--frequency responses, which may help inform stethoscope selection based on listening needs, various listening environments, and/or degree and configuration of hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of American Journal of Audiology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194359746 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Acoustics of Electronic Stethoscopes for Health Professionals. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Atcherson%2C+Samuel+R%2E%22">Atcherson, Samuel R.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> sratcherson@uams.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rennert%2C+Nancy+J%2E%22">Rennert, Nancy J.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hein%2C+Sarah+J%2E%22">Hein, Sarah J.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22American+Journal+of+Audiology%22">American Journal of Audiology</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p760-770. 11p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stethoscopes%22">Stethoscopes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auscultation%22">Auscultation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Respiratory+organ+sounds%22">Respiratory organ sounds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+anatomical+models%22">Human anatomical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Noise%22">Noise</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Acoustics%22">Acoustics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wearable+technology%22">Wearable technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Signal+processing%22">Signal processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Assistive+listening+systems%22">Assistive listening systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+amplifiers%22">Electronic amplifiers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heart+sounds%22">Heart sounds</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: Commercially available electronic stethoscopes for auscultation often report amplification levels and may or may not publish amplitude--frequency (spectral) response curves. Additional data may be helpful to consumers who use stethoscopes in less-than-ideal listening environments or have hearing loss. The purpose of this research was to describe our method for evaluating electronic stethoscopes relative to a nonelectronic stethoscope. Method: One nonelectronic and eight electronic stethoscopes at maximum volume with their bell and diaphragm modes were acoustically evaluated using digitized heart and breath sounds, a stethoscope speaker pad, and an industry-standard manikin ear simulator. Some electronic stethoscopes had wireless connectivity to wearable Bluetooth earbuds, and these were evaluated also. For each stethoscope, output measurements of digitized heart and breath sounds were recorded in a quiet room. For direct comparisons, measurements were categorized by expected spectra into heart (bell) sounds (~20-500 Hz) and breath (diaphragm) sounds (~100-1000 Hz). Results: Relative to published human threshold tone and 1/3-octave band data, as well as nonelectronic stethoscope output, all electronic stethoscopes clearly demonstrated some measure of amplification across the amplitude--frequency (spectral) range for digitized normal heart and breath sounds. Differences observed may be specific to bell versus diaphragm modes, acoustical tubing (or lack thereof), wired versus wireless modes, models within the same make, and use of active noise cancellation, to name a few. Importantly, manufacturer-reported amplification values (e.g., "x" specifications) did not reliably reflect frequency-specific acoustic output within clinically relevant heart and breath sound regions. Conclusions: The methodology described to analyze stethoscope outputs appears to be an effective starting point for evaluating various characteristics of stethoscopes with a lens toward assisting health professionals and students working in less-than-ideal listening situations or for those with hearing loss. While all electronic stethoscopes evaluated offered amplification, there was great variability in amplitude--frequency responses, which may help inform stethoscope selection based on listening needs, various listening environments, and/or degree and configuration of hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of American Journal of Audiology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00110 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 760 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Stethoscopes Type: general – SubjectFull: Auscultation Type: general – SubjectFull: Respiratory organ sounds Type: general – SubjectFull: Human anatomical models Type: general – SubjectFull: Noise Type: general – SubjectFull: Acoustics Type: general – SubjectFull: Wearable technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Signal processing Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Assistive listening systems Type: general – SubjectFull: Electronic amplifiers Type: general – SubjectFull: Heart sounds Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Acoustics of Electronic Stethoscopes for Health Professionals. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Atcherson, Samuel R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rennert, Nancy J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hein, Sarah J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10590889 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 35 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: American Journal of Audiology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
