What term is used to describe a wet crackling noise found in lungs?

The term used to describe a wet crackling noise found in the lungs is rales. Rales are abnormal lung sounds that can be heard during auscultation with a stethoscope and typically indicate fluid in the air spaces of the lungs or inflammation of lung tissue. This sound is often associated with conditions such as pneumonia, heart failure, or pulmonary edema, where fluid accumulation can lead to the characteristic crackling noise during inhalation or exhalation.

Fremitus, on the other hand, refers to the vibrations that can be felt on the chest wall when a person speaks, and this is different from the sounds produced within the lungs. Borrage, while not a standard term associated with lung sounds, may refer to a type of cough or condition in other contexts but does not describe lung sounds specifically. Wheezing describes a high-pitched, musical sound made during breathing due to narrowed airways, which is distinct from the crackling noise associated with rales.