Cardiac auscultatory areas. Illustration of the human rib cage and heart and the areas of the chest where doctors listen with a stethoscope (auscultation) to the heart valves. The four auscultatory areas and valves are the aortic, pulmonic, tricupsid and mitral. A fifth auscultatory area is sometimes used, known as Erb's point. Here, the auscultatory areas are marked with circles, the valves with ovals.