audiometry /au·di·om·e·try/ (aw″de-om´ĭ-tre) measurement of

the acuity of hearing for the various frequencies of sound

waves.audiomet´ric
Békésy audiometry that in which the patient, by pressing a
signal button, traces monaural thresholds for pure tones: the
intensity of the tone decreases as long as the button is depressed
and increases when it is released; both continuous and
interrupted tones are used.
cortical audiometry an objective method of determining auditory
acuity by recording and averaging electric potentials evoked from
the cortex of the brain in response to stimulation by pure tones.
electrocochleographic audiometry measurement of electrical
potentials from the middle ear or external auditory canal (cochlear
microphonics and eighth nerve action potentials) in response to
acoustic stimuli.
electrodermal audiometry audiometry in which the subject is
conditioned by harmless electric shock to pure tones, thereafter
anticipating a shock when hearing a pure tone; the anticipation
results in a brief electrodermal response, which is recorded; the
lowest intensity at which the response is elicited is taken to be the
hearing threshold.
localization audiometry a technique for measuring the capacity
to locate the source of a pure tone received binaurally in a sound
field.
pure tone audiometry audiometry utilizing pure tones that are
relatively free of noise and overtones.
Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by
Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ateneo Parmense Acta Biomed. 1980;51(5):461-5.

[Békésy audiometry

Those Békésy audiometry a measuring procedure for

the aural acuity is in that Neck nose ear medicine. Here
 an automatic becomes Clay/tone noise meter used, with
that the rehearsing and by serving a pushbutton the
noise meter steers and those in such a way Auditory
threshold even notes. The BékésyAudiometry became the
auditory threshold regulation than however less to
Differenzialdiagnose of Sound feeling disturbances used.
Due to the development of other research methods the
Békésy audiometry at meaning lost. The automatic noise
meter became 1947 of George von Békésy presented. [1]

Investigation procedure

George von Békésy: „A noise meter is described, with

that those Intensity the clay/tone continuously rises, as
long as a signal button is kept pressed, and automatically
again drops, if the button is released. The person, who
serves the button, can let the intensity of the clay/tone
between scarce fluctuate thus over the auditory threshold
and scarcely under it. Those Amplitude these oscillations
is a measure for the intensity difference limen, which is
noted automatically in such a way together with the
auditory threshold. “

The equipment changes the frequency of the Prüftones

within 5 minutes continuously from 125 cycles per
second to 8000 cycles per second (original from 100
cycles per second to 10,000 cycles per second) and the
intensity around 2,5 railways per second (5 railways per
second in the position „fast “). The result of the
examination is a point/tooth line noted by the equipment,
which corresponds to the auditory threshold.

Uses one during the auditory threshold examination with

the Békésy noise meter in place of one Steady tone one
 Impulse clay/tone (interrupted clay/tone), then arise
Schallempfindungsschwerhörigen partially improves
auditory thresholds as when using steady tones. One
speaks in such cases of one Separation the steady tone
curve of the impulse clay/tone curve. This phenomenon
must as a sign of a disturbed adjustment (Adaptation) of
the Interior ear to the steady tone to be regarded. The
situation of the steady tone curve in the comparison to
the impulse clay/tone curve informs thus about the
malfunction of the ear, the impulse clay/tone curve
serves as it were as independent reference value.[2] It
offered itself thus, in place of that frequency-sliding
method with continuous change of the inspection
frequency the behavior of the steady tone curve in
relation to the impulse clay/tone curve in an individual
frequency over the time to examine (frequency-constant
method).

Test result

The possibility of determining with the Békésy noise

meter the auditory threshold stepped into view to the
differenzialdiagnostischen value of the evaluation of the
point/tooth size and above all the Separation into the
background.

The normalhearing produces a point/tooth line with a

height of 10 to 15 railways with the audiometry with the
Békésy noise meter. Clearly smaller points/teeth are a
reference to being present a disturbed sound heating
feeling (Recruitment). This is considered as proof of a
cochleären Schwerhörigkeit (hair cell damage).
 The Separation of the steady tone curve of the impulse
clay/tone curve can achieve very different extents. It can
a certain extent maintained (limited Separation) or
continue to increase (unlimited Separation). For the
evaluation of the Separation the frequency-constant
method is suitable better than the frequency-sliding. The
evaluation takes place usually according to from Jerger
(1960)[3] suggested types.

• Type I: Impulse clay/tone curve and steady tone

curve overlap themselves. This findings are with the
normalhearing, with one
Schallleitungsschwerhörigkeit and occasionally with a
Schallempfindungsschwerhörigkeit of an unclear
cause.
• Type II: The steady tone curve separates from the
impulse clay/tone curve to maximally 20 railways
and holds then this distance (Separation limited).
One finds this picture with a cochleären
Schwerhörigkeit (hair cell damage).
• Type III: The steady tone curve continues to fall
dramatically ever under the impulse clay/tone curve.
The Separation amounts to 40 to 50 railways or
more (unlimited Separation). This findings speak for
a retrocochleäre hearing disorder
(Nervenschwerhörigkeit).
• Type IV: Limited Separation, however more strongly
than with type II. Uncertain allocation, cochleäre or
retrocochleäre Schwerhörigkeit.

Simulation and Aggravation of pro gangs the steady tone

curve over the impulse clay/tone curve (thus with quiet
 operation) is written, findings, which are otherwise not
possible.

Sources

1. ↑ Békésy G.v., “A new noise meter”. Acta otolaryng.

(Stockholm), 35 (1947), 411
2. ↑ Welleschik, B.: “Experiences with the Békésy
audiometry”. Laryngol Rhinol Otol (Stuttg). 1976
May; 55 (5): 343
3. ↑ Jerger

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