time-resolved distorsion-product otoacoustic emissions

在听力测定中，需要一种客观、敏感和特异的方法来评估内耳功能障碍。使用畸变产物耳声发射（DPOAE）的I/O函数外推来估计听阈就是这样一种方法。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所谓的精细结构，其以迄今为止使用的方式在阈值估计中引入误差。目前在听力研究中，抑制DPOAE精细结构的方法要么太耗时，无法成为临床应用的一部分，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应向临床实用化方向发展。我们希望，与这种技术的内耳的状态评估将有可能大大降低不确定性。这对基础研究很有意义，因为在人类中不能进行动物实验中使用的侵入性研究。此外，减少耳蜗状态估计的不确定性的临床上可应用的方法为成人患者，但特别是查尔兹和新生儿的诊断和治疗提供了新的前景。

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.