Obsolete Necessity: Do we still need the stethoscope?

For 200 years the stethoscope has served as a symbol for the practice of medicine, both badge of office and practical tool. But the rise of advanced technologies is threatening its place in the medical armamentarium. Bedside ultrasound, CT scans, MRI imaging and other state-of-the-art advances provide a more detailed picture of the human body's inner workings. Yet patients still expect a physician to examine them, stethoscope in hand. And there still are compelling reasons to use the stethoscope. But for how long?

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