Tone Decay - Interacoustics Affinity 2.0 Additional Information

The QuickSIN is perf ormed according to the methods described in the QuickSIN manual.

1.7.16 Tone decay

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This is a test to help identif y the adaptation of the auditory system (Carhart, 1957). It involves measuring the
perceptual reduction in a continuous tone over time. This can indicate towards a cochlear or neural cause of
deaf ness.
The test involves looking at the patient's response to the onset of a supra-threshold sound and then their
continuous response to this as it continues over time. For example, in Meniere's disease this is detected
correctly on onset but rapidly deteriorates due to dysf unctional hair cells (Carhart, 1957). A normal response
should be maintained f or a minute of stimulation, should a patient not be able to maintain this then the
stimulus intensity is increased until a minute is achieved. This is only increased up to a maximum 30 dB
supra-threshold.
Previously this test could only be administered manually with the Af f inity
but now we have added this test to the sof tware f or ease of use.
Required items:
The Af f inity 2.0 hardware
•
Licensed AC440 Audiometry module within your Af f inity
•
• Calibrated Headphones or insert phones
Test procedure
1. The patient's Audiometry is obtained.
2. The patient is then instructed to continuously respond to the tone if they hear it and not respond as the
signal f ades/is absent.
3. The test is administered with a pure tone 5 dB below the subject's established threshold and then
ascended in 5 dB steps without interruption until the subject responds. As soon as the subject
responds, the system will begin timing (this is shown in the image below). If the tone is heard f or a f ull
one minute, then the test is stopped.
D-0004576-Q – 2022/05
Affinity/Equinox2.0 – Additional Information
2.0 2.0
/Equinox Suite and a stopwatch
2.0 hardware
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