title: Automatic quality assessment and peak identification of auditory brainstem responses with fitted parametric peaks.
abstract: The recording of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) is used worldwide for hearing screening purposes. In this process, a precise estimation of the most relevant components is essential for an accurate interpretation of these signals. This evaluation is usually carried out subjectively by an audiologist. However, the use of automatic methods for this purpose is being encouraged nowadays in order to reduce human evaluation biases and ensure uniformity among test conditions, patients, and screening personnel. This article describes a new method that performs automatic quality assessment and identification of the peaks, the fitted parametric peaks (FPP). This method is based on the use of synthesized peaks that are adjusted to the ABR response. The FPP is validated, on one hand, by an analysis of amplitudes and latencies measured manually by an audiologist and automatically by the FPP method in ABR signals recorded at different stimulation rates; and on the other hand, contrasting the performance of the FPP method with the automatic evaluation techniques based on the correlation coefficient, FSP, and cross correlation with a predefined template waveform by comparing the automatic evaluations of the quality of these methods with subjective evaluations provided by five experienced evaluators on a set of ABR signals of different quality. The results of this study suggest (a) that the FPP method can be used to provide an accurate parameterization of the peaks in terms of amplitude, latency, and width, and (b) that the FPP remains as the method that best approaches the averaged subjective quality evaluation, as well as provides the best results in terms of sensitivity and specificity in ABR signals validation. The significance of these findings and the clinical value of the FPP method are highlighted on this paper.
authors.affiliation: Department of Signal Theory, Telematics and Communications, CITIC-UGR, University of Granada, C/Periodista Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: jvalderrama@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Joaquin T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Valderrama
authors.affiliation: Department of Signal Theory, Telematics and Communications, CITIC-UGR, University of Granada, C/Periodista Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: atv@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.affiliation: Department of Signal Theory, Telematics and Communications, CITIC-UGR, University of Granada, C/Periodista Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: isamaru@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Signal Theory, Telematics and Communications, CITIC-UGR, University of Granada, C/Periodista Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: segura@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Jose Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.affiliation: MRC Institute of Hearing Research, Southampton Outstation, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Mailpoint OAU, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 OYG, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ardt@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A Roger D
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: ENT Service, San Cecilio University Hospital, Av. Dr. Oloriz 16, 18002 Granada, Spain; Department of Surgery and its Specialties, University of Granada, Av. De Madrid 11, 18012 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: msainzquevedo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.affiliation: ENT Service, San Cecilio University Hospital, Av. Dr. Oloriz 16, 18002 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: jlvf472@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vargas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001298:Audiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001331:Automation; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: F(SP); Fitted parametric peaks (FPP); Mexican hat wavelet; Response detection; Subjective visual evaluation; Template matching