1. strikes or taps (a part of the body) as part of a medical examination to assess the condition of underlying organs
Usage: medical

Examples

• The doctor percusses the patient’s chest to check for fluid in the lungs.
• She carefully percusses the abdomen to detect any abnormalities.
• The physician percusses different areas to map the size of internal organs.
• During the examination, he percusses the back to assess kidney function.
• The medical student learns how to properly percuss the thorax.
• The nurse percusses the patient’s side to check for tenderness.