Auscultation is performed for the purposes of examining the circulatory and respiratory systems (heart and breath sounds), as well as the alimentary canal.

The act of listening to body sounds for diagnostic purposes has its origin further back in history, possibly as early as Ancient Egypt.

Auscultation and palpation go together in physical examination and are alike in that both have ancient roots, both require skill, and both are still important today.

Laënnec's contributions were refining the procedure, linking sounds with specific pathological changes in the chest, and inventing a suitable instrument (the stethoscope) to mediate between the patient's body and the clinician's ear.

Ultrasonography (US) inherently provides capability for computer-aided auscultation, and portable US, especially portable echocardiography, replaces some stethoscope auscultation (especially in cardiology), although not nearly all of it (stethoscopes are still essential in basic checkups, listening to bowel sounds, and other primary care contexts).