Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Evaluation and Comparison of the Results of Typical Tympanometry and Wideband Tympanometry in Patients with Conductive Hearing Loss

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors
Mehrdad Rogha 1
Sayed Hamidreza Abtahi 1
Talieh Zahedi 2
1 Associate, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.48305/jims.v43.i822.0791
Abstract
Background: Given the wider frequency range and higher accuracy of wideband tympanometry (WBT) as compared to typical tympanometry, and the clinical importance of identifying the causes of conductive hearing loss (CHL), the present study aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of WBT in identifying otosclerosis as one of the causes of CHL.
Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed on 28 patients with CHL. Initially, the air-bone gap (ABG) and the absorbance obtained from conventional tympanometry at 226 Hz and WBT across the frequency range of 226–8000 Hz were measured and recorded for each patient's ears.  Additionally, otosclerosis diagnosis was recorded using the typical tympanometry and WBT. The patients subsequently underwent surgery, and a definitive diagnosis of otosclerosis was confirmed.
Findings: The results of the present study revealed that typical tympanometry, with a sensitivity of 41.6% and specificity of 25%, did not have appropriate diagnostic value in the detection of otosclerosis (AUC = 0.333; P = 0.217); however, WBT, with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 50%, had significant diagnostic value in the detection of otosclerosis (AUC: 0.750, P = 0.045).
Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, absorption of WBT in the frequency range of 226-8000 Hz followed a two-peak pattern, which was indicative of a significant and satisfactory diagnostic value of WBT in detection of otosclerosis before surgery.

Highlights

Mehrdad Rogha: Google Scholar 

Sayed Hamidreza Abtahi: Google Scholar

Keywords
Conductive hearing loss
Otosclerosis
Wideband tympanometry
Subjects
  1. Liberman MC, Epstein MJ, Cleveland SS, Wang H, Maison SF. Toward a differential diagnosis of hidden hearing loss in humans. PLoS One 2016; 11(9): e0162726.
  2. Feeney MP, Grant IL, Marryott LP. Wideband energy reflectance measurements in adults with middle-ear disorders. J Speech Lang Hear Res 2003; 46(4): 901-11.
  3. Nakajima HH, Rosowski JJ, Shahnaz N, Voss SE. Assessment of ear disorders using power reflectance. Ear Hear 2013; 34 Suppl 1(7 0 1): 48S-53S.
  4. Kim SY, Han JJ, Oh SH, Lee JH, Suh M-w, Kim MH, et al. Differentiating among conductive hearing loss conditions with wideband tympanometry. Auris Nasus Larynx 2019; 46(1): 43-9.
  5. Nakajima HH, Pisano DV, Roosli C, Hamade MA, Merchant GR, Mahfoud L, et al. Comparison of ear-canal reflectance and umbo velocity in patients with conductive hearing loss: a preliminary study. Ear Hear 2012; 33(1): 35-43.
  6. Shahnaz N, Bork K, Polka L, Longridge N, Bell D, Westerberg BD. Energy reflectance and tympanometry in normal and otosclerotic ears. Ear Hear 2009; 30(2): 219-33.
  7. Beers AN, Shahnaz N, Westerberg BD, Kozak FK. Wideband reflectance in normal Caucasian and Chinese school-aged children and in children with otitis media with effusion. Ear Hear 2010; 31(2): 221-33.
  8. Shahnaz N, Longridge N, Bell D. Wideband energy reflectance patterns in preoperative and post-operative otosclerotic ears. Int J Audiol 2009; 48(5): 240-7.
  9. Sun X-M. Wideband acoustic immittance: Normative study and test–retest reliability of tympanometric measurements in adults. J Speech Lang Hear Res 2016; 59(4): 819-34.
  10. Cruickshanks KJ, Tweed TS, Wiley TL, Klein BE, Klein R, Chappell R, et al. The 5-year incidence and progression of hearing loss: the epidemiology of hearing loss study. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003; 129(10): 1041-6.
  11. Nozza RJ, Bluestone CD, Kardatzke D, Bachman R. Identification of middle ear effusion by aural acoustic admittance and otoscopy. Ear Hear 1994; 15(4): 310-23.
  12. Liu Z, Liu L, Yang K. Comparison between 226 Hz probe tone tympanometry and spiral CT test in infants. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi 2012; 26(19): 887-9.
  13. Park M, Han K-H, Jung H, Kim M-H, Chang H-K, Kim SH, et al. Usefulness of 1000-Hz probe tone in tympanometry according to age in Korean infants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2015; 79(1): 42-6.
  14. Park MK. Clinical applications of wideband tympanometry. Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2017; 60(8): 375-80.
  15. Niemczyk E, Lachowska M, Tataj E, Kurczak K, Niemczyk K. Wideband tympanometry and absorbance measurements in otosclerotic ears. Laryngoscope 2019; 129(10): E365-E76.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 43, Issue 822
2nd Week,, September
July and August 2025
Pages 791-795

  • Receive Date 10 June 2025
  • Accept Date 02 July 2025