While percussing a patient's left lung, the nurse detects a dull percussion note. How would the nurse interpret this finding?

Question

1. The patient has hepatomegaly.
2. The patient might have fluid in the lung, which could indicate an infection.
3. The patient has emphysema.
4. The patient has normal lungs.

Answer 1

2
Rationale 1: There is no information about the precise location of this dullness, so it is not possible to determine if the percussion tone might be over the liver border.
Rationale 2: Percussion over the lungs is done to determine if fluid is present, which would change the normal resonant sound of the lung tissue. A dull sound may indicate an infection.
Rationale 3: Emphysemic lungs are overfilled with air and would not produce a dull percussion note.
Rationale 4: The normal percussion note over lung tissue is resonant. A dull percussion sound may indicate an abnormal condition.