A stethoscope, whose bell is temporarily attached to the chest wall, is used for monitoring ventilation.
By listening through the stethoscope, the clinician can determine the respiratory rate and quality of air movement during breathing, as well as the heart sounds.
The closer the bell of the stethoscope is placed to the precordial notch (i.e., in the soft tissue area immediately above the manubrium of the chest), the louder are the breathing sounds in comparison with the heart sounds.
Partially occluded airways or restrictive airways have different sound qualities, including wheezing, stridor, and crowing.