time-resolved distorsion-product otoacoustic emissions

在听力测量中，需要一种客观、灵敏和特异的方法来评估内耳功能障碍。利用失真产物耳声发射(DPOAE)的I/O函数外推估计听阈值就是这样一种方法。不幸的是，来自耳蜗中不同位置的两个源贡献的相互作用导致了所谓的精细结构，该结构在阈值估计中引入了迄今为止使用的方式的误差。目前在听力研究中研究的抑制DPOAE精细结构的方法要么太耗时而无法成为临床实践的一部分，要么不适合记录I/O功能，因此不适用于阈值估计。脉冲DPOAE提供了在可接受的测量时间内抑制精细结构的可能性。因此，脉冲DPOAE应向临床实用化发展。我们预计，有了这项技术，对内耳状态的评估将成为可能，并大大减少不确定性。这对基础研究很有意义，因为用于动物实验的侵入性研究在人类中的应用是不能进行的。此外，一种临床上可应用的方法，以减少对耳蜗状态估计的不确定性，为成人患者，特别是儿童和新生儿的诊断和治疗提供了新的视角。

In audiometry, an objective, sensitive and specific method for evaluation of dysfunctions of the inner ear is required. Estimation of hearing threshold using extrapolation of I/O functions of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) is one such method. Unfortunately, interaction of two source contributions from different places in the cochlea lead to a so-called fine structure which introduces errors in the threshold estimations in the manner as they are used to date. Methods to suppress DPOAE fine structure currently under investigation in hearing research are either too time consuming to become part of clinical praxis, or they are not suited for the recording of I/O functions and therefore not applicable for threshold estimation.Pulsed DPOAE offer the possibility to suppress fine structure within acceptable measuring time. Therefore, pulsed DPOAE shall be developed to clinical practicability. We expect that with this technique assessment of the state of the inner ear will be possible with considerably reduced uncertainty. This is of interest for basic research because in humans application of invasive investigations used in animal experiments can not be performed. Moreover, a clinically applicable method to reduce the uncertainty of estimations of the state of the cochlea offers new perspectives for diagnostic and therapy of adult patients, but especially childs and newborns.