When assessing for pneumonia, which physical exam finding may be noted?

When assessing for pneumonia, noting the presence of rhonchi is significant. Rhonchi are low-pitched, wheezing sounds that occur due to the secretions in the bronchial airways. In pneumonia, especially when it is associated with bronchial inflammation and mucus production, the airflow can be partially obstructed by these secretions, leading to the characteristic abnormal lung sounds heard during a physical exam.

In contrast, clear lung sounds would typically suggest that there are no significant abnormalities present, which would be unlikely in a case of pneumonia. Wheezing is more often associated with obstructive conditions like asthma or bronchospasm rather than pneumonia, where the primary feature is usually the presence of crackles or rhonchi. Absent breath sounds could indicate a more severe condition, such as a pleural effusion or complete obstruction, and would not specifically indicate pneumonia. Thus, rhonchi is the most relevant finding for pneumonia assessment due to the involvement of bronchial secretions.