A coin test, using two coins and a stethoscope, can help diagnose lung conditions such as collapsed or punctured lungs and chest infections. The test is rarely used in modern medicine as imaging tests are more reliable.
A coin test, also called a bell metal resonance test, is used by a doctor to determine whether a patient has a lung infection or a collapsed or punctured lung. The test is simple to perform and only requires two coins and a stethoscope. To perform the test, the doctor will strike the coins together and listen for the metallic sound from the other side of the patient’s lung. In healthy patients, this sound will not be audible.
To perform a coin test, a single coin is held flat against the side of the patient’s chest. Another coin is struck against this coin, causing the first coin to resonate. Using a stethoscope, the doctor listens to the same lung from the patient’s back. How the sound of the ringing coin moves through the patient’s lung can give the doctor an indication of the patient’s injury or illness. While any two metal objects may be used in this test, it gets its name because coins have traditionally been used.
The most common use for the coin test is in diagnosing a collapsed lung. In this condition, air or fluid fills the space in the chest cavity around the lung, preventing the lung from fully expanding and making it difficult for the patient to breathe. When a coin test is performed on a patient with a collapsed lung, the ringing sound will travel through the chest and the doctor will be able to hear a clanging sound through the stethoscope on the other side of the patient’s body.
A coin test can also be used to diagnose chest infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. The doctor administers this type of coin test in the same way as the test used to diagnose a collapsed lung and again listens for a metallic sound from the other side of the patient’s body. If you hear this sound, it can be an indication of excess fluid in your lungs and chest cavity. In a healthy patient, the sound of colliding coins will be muffled and lack the metallic quality.
Although the coin test can be used to help diagnose lung conditions, modern imaging tests, such as X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are more reliable. Doctors use the images to positively identify lung problems so patients can receive timely treatment. The coin test is rarely used in modern medicine.
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