Anatomy of a Stethoscope: Different Parts Of A Stethoscope and Their Functions

Chances are, you’ve either used or have been treated with a stethoscope before. This humble medical tool has been an essential part of doctors’ and nurses’ diagnostic kits for decades. In fact, it’s considered the cornerstone of modern healthcare fact-finding (and personally, I’ve never addressed a patient without one).

However, as a medical professional, it’s vital to know exactly how stethoscopes work, and what each of their parts does. The better you understand your stethoscope, the stronger your diagnostic techniques will become.

In this guide, I’ll take you through different stethoscopes, how they’re used, their main features, and how you can take better care of them long term.

Types of Stethoscopes and Their Features 

The main types of stethoscopes available are analogue/acoustic, electronic/digital, pediatric, and cardiology. Each of these types are designed for unique cases and diagnostic purposes, for example, cardiology stethoscopes are designed for listening to heartbeats, and pediatric stethoscopes are built smaller than most to help diagnose children.

Let’s explore these types in more detail.

Acoustic Stethoscopes

Acoustic or analogue Littmann stethoscopes are traditional tools used to listen to the body’s internal sounds. They’re designed to allow sound waves to travel from a chest piece, through a rubber tube, to your earpieces.

Acoustic stethoscopes are relied upon for ‘raw’ listening and diagnostics. They are some of the most affordable and are still relied upon by millions of professionals for accurate diagnoses.

To avoid confusion, there are some Littmann stethoscopes with digital and cardiology features, too!

Electronic/Digital Stethoscopes

Electronic and digital stethoscopes, unlike acoustic models, actively convert sound waves into digital signals, delivered to your ears. Digital stethoscopes offer less background noise and adjustable levels to support more accurate listening.

However, these stethoscopes are not always widely used because they require constant recharging, and are more expensive than conventional tools. 

That said, they have quickly become a mainstay in modern diagnostic practice, and I can personally vouch for their usefulness.

Pediatric & Infant Stethoscopes

Pediatric and infant stethoscopes are simply designed to accommodate smaller bodies and to help make diagnosis of children more comfortable and straightforward. You are likely to find pediatric stethoscopes built to the acoustic standard.

Cardiology Stethoscopes

Although traditional stethoscopes are designed to support listening to patient heartbeats, cardiology stethoscopes are developed to be more sensitive and customisable with the heart in mind.

Many cardiology stethoscopes, therefore, are digital and are designed by cardiologists and heart professionals to support more accurate readings.

Main Components of a Stethoscope and Their Functions

Typically, the main parts of stethoscopes are the earpieces, the binaurals (or ear tubes), the main tubing, the chestpiece, the diaphragm, the bell, and the stem.

Let’s explore what each of these components does in practice.

Earpieces

Earpieces fit gently in your ear canals and deliver sound from the other end of the stethoscope. They’re typically made from rubber, rigid enough to block out noise but comfortable enough for users to wear while concentrating on patients.

Binaurals (Ear Tubes)

The stethoscope’s binaurals, or ear tubes, connect to the earpieces or tips. Think of them like the two wires that attach to a pair of headphones. They are two separate channels that deliver sound into your left and right ears, which you can squeeze and adjust for a better fit.

Tubing

The stethoscope’s hollow tubing actively delivers sound picked up by the chest piece. This is the main tube that connects to the binaurals, which then delivers sound to the earpieces.

Chestpiece

The chestpiece is the crucial element that you place on your patient’s body to listen to their heart, lungs, or other organs. Typically made from plastic and metal, you carefully place this on the part of the body you wish to listen to, e.g., the chest if you need to hear someone’s heartbeat. There are two main parts to a chestpiece: the diaphragm and the bell.

Diaphragm

The chestpiece’s diaphragm is circular, and it’s this side that you apply to the patient’s body. It’s typically used for higher-pitched sounds and is built with a chill ring to prevent skin from getting cold.

Bell

The chestpiece’s bell, meanwhile, is spherical. You use this part of the fitting for lower frequency noises, making it ideal for picking up less distinct sounds that the diaphragm might miss. Like the diaphragm, the bell is usually designed with a chill ring for patient comfort.

Stem

A stethoscope stem is a connecting piece, linking the tubing and chestpiece together. When you need to switch between the bell and the diaphragm, you’d turn it to swap sides.

Usage of a Stethoscope in Medical Practice

Stethoscopes are commonly used to measure cardiac and respiratory health, blood pressure, auscultation in gastrointestinal systems, and for various other specialist diagnostics.

Cardiac and Respiratory Assessment

Stethoscopes are most commonly used to assess heart sounds. For example, users can apply them to patients to listen for abnormalities and irregular rhythms that might suggest organ malfunction. They’re also used to listen to respiratory sounds, such as crackling or wheezing, which might indicate chronic lung problems.

Blood Pressure Measurement and Vascular Auscultation

Stethoscopes help assess blood pressure by listening to how blood flows through a patient’s body. Abnormal or unexpected sounds might also suggest vessel blockages or arterial or carotid bruits.

Gastrointestinal System Auscultation

The stethoscope can also be used to assess abdominal sounds, for example, to detect low-pitched noises or hyperactivity that would usually suggest abnormalities in the digestive system.

Specialized Diagnostic Applications

Stethoscopes can also be used to listen for and diagnose a variety of other issues and concerns, such as pneumonia and cystic fibrosis. They are also commonly used to listen for fetal heartbeats in pregnant women

Maintenance and Care of a Stethoscope

Looking after your stethoscope properly ensures that it remains hygienic to use from day to day and that it performs at its best. Regardless of the type of stethoscope you use, I recommend following basic cleaning protocols, regularly inspecting and replacing parts, storing your instruments correctly, and testing your stethoscope’s performance.

Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols

I (and many others) recommend cleaning your stethoscope after each patient you diagnose, and carefully disinfecting it at the end of each day. I use isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%), which is available in wipe form – avoid submerging your stethoscope in water.

Ideally, you should disassemble your stethoscope completely, sterilise and disinfect it, and air dry – before checking for final debris left over. We go into more detail in our guide to the caring and maintenance of stethoscopes.

Studies reveal that methods as diverse as using UVC-LED devices, alcohol-soaked wipes, and liquid gels can help to keep stethoscopes hygienic. However, it’s also noted that regular cleaning is more important than the method chosen:

“The failure of disinfection methods does not seem to be due to the lack of effectiveness of what is used, but rather to a lack of regularity in the use of the products. An approach to disinfection with mechanisms that provide for automation and do not alter the activity of health care workers could be useful to maintain good sanitation performance over time.”

Napolitani, M. et al.

Regular Inspection and Part Replacement

Ideally, check all parts of your stethoscope periodically so you’re sure they’re working as expected. That goes for your chestpiece, earpieces, and tubing. The regularity of your checks might vary, but try to avoid waiting for problems to arise. 

Over time, you may need to replace some parts due to wear and tear, or to invest in a new stethoscope outright. When in doubt, always read the manual and look for stethoscopes with full warranties attached.

Proper Storage Techniques

It’s easy to damage your stethoscope by leaving it out in the open, and doing so also puts it at risk of getting cross-contaminated. If your stethoscope has a case, be sure to store your tool away properly whenever it isn’t in use.

Troubleshooting and Performance Testing

Troubleshooting your stethoscope will vary depending on the manufacturer and model you buy. You could, for example, test your stethoscope on yourself or a loved one to ensure it is working as expected. 

Otherwise, do what I do, and always refer to the manufacturer for detailed performance tests – you’ll be thankful when your stethoscope weathers the years to come.

Final Thoughts

Stethoscopes may seem simple on the surface, but they have lots of working parts, and can be extremely sensitive to look after.

Therefore, always take the time to learn how to use your stethoscope properly, and take the knowledge you’ve gained from this guide forward into finding your next stethoscope – which we can certainly help you with here at Medshop!

 

Sources

Best Stethoscopes: Littmann Stethoscopes, Prestige, Spirit and more. (n.d.). In

Medshop Australia. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from 

https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/stethoscopes

Littmann Stethoscopes. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from 

https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/littmann-stethoscopes 

Napolitani, M., Bezzini, D., Moirano, F., Bedogni, C., & Messina, G. (2020). Methods of 

Disinfecting Stethoscopes: Systematic Review. In International journal of environmental 

research and public health (Vol. 17, Issue 6, p. 1856). International journal of 

environmental research and public health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17061856 

Stethoscope Care and Cleaning. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved August 18, 

2025, from https://www.medshop.com.au/blogs/news/stethoscope-care-to-last-a-lifetime 

Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Stethoscopes. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. 

Retrieved August 18, 2025, from 

https://www.medshop.com.au/blogs/news/ultimate-guide-to-different-types-of-stethosco

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