Single vs. double acoustic reflectometry tracings.
Impedance tympanometry and acoustic reflectivity tests were obtained on 503 infants and children ranging from 3 months to 12 years of age during a 6-week period in a solo primary care practice. One hundred eighty-five of 1005 tracings from the acoustic otoscope with recorder demonstrated 2 reflectivities. This phenomenon occurred more commonly in infants than in older children and was not seen with reflectivities higher than 7 units. One hundred thirty-eight of the 185 double reflectivity tracings were associated with abnormal impedance tympanometry. The double reflectivity phenomenon may be important in helping to explain the false negative results occasionally seen with this technology in low and intermediate reflectometry scores. Future clinical research involving acoustic reflectometry should utilize the recording device and single and double reflectivity tracings should be handled separately in any analysis of data. Use of the recorder will also prevent false positive errors in the interpretation of some intermediate reflectivities.
Combs
J T
JT
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012022:Reflex, Acoustic