In a patient with pneumonia, which physical exam finding correlates with the presence of lung consolidation?

In the context of pneumonia, the presence of lung consolidation is associated with increased tactile fremitus. Tactile fremitus is the vibration of the chest wall that can be felt by placing the hands on the patient's back or chest while the patient speaks. When lung consolidation occurs, such as in cases of pneumonia, the lung tissue becomes more solid due to the presence of fluid, pus, or inflammatory cells. This increased density allows sound vibrations to transmit more effectively through the lung tissue, resulting in greater tactile fremitus.

Therefore, when a healthcare provider feels for tactile fremitus in a patient with pneumonia, they would generally note an increase in vibrations over areas of consolidation compared to normal lung tissue. This clinical finding assists in the diagnosis of pneumonia, indicating that the underlying lung tissue has indeed become consolidated due to disease processes.

The other options do not correlate with the presence of lung consolidation: decreased tactile fremitus would suggest conditions such as pleural effusion, where fluid collection reduces the transmission of vibrations; normal tactile fremitus does not provide any diagnostic indication of consolidation; and rhonchi are abnormal lung sounds that can indicate airway obstruction or other conditions rather than consolidation specifically.