Abdominal examination: role of percussion and auscultation.

Clinicians should not minimize or overlook the importance of percussion of the liver and the spleen and of auscultation over the liver as routine parts of abdominal examination. Splenic percussion can be used to detect splenomegaly even before the spleen becomes palpable. The span of liver dullness on percussion can be compared with established normal standards to detect hepatomegaly or alterations caused by cirrhosis. A systolic bruit, a friction rub, or a venous hum detected by auscultation over the liver is an important sign of liver disease.