ABA Cochlear Implants & Implantable Hearing Devices 2

Question 1

Which imaging study is most commonly ordered prior to cochlear implant surgery to evaluate cochlear anatomy and patency?

Accepted Answer

Computed tomography (CT) of the temporal bones

Answer

High-resolution CT of the temporal bones is the standard pre-operative imaging to assess cochlear anatomy, detect ossification, malformations, and surgical landmarks.

Question 2

In CI programming, the 'C-level' (comfort level or MCL) represents:

Accepted Answer

The loudest comfortable level of electrical stimulation before discomfort

Answer

The C-level (also called MCL or M-level) is the maximum comfortable loudness level — the highest electrical stimulation that is loud but not uncomfortable for the CI user.

Question 3

Which cochlear implant processing strategy uses a 'n-of-m' approach where only the channels with the highest amplitude outputs are stimulated each cycle?

Accepted Answer

Advanced Combination Encoder (ACE)

Answer

ACE (Advanced Combination Encoder) selects the n channels with the greatest energy from a bank of m filters each cycle, providing a balance between spectral and temporal information.

Question 4

Electrode impedance checks in CI programming primarily assess:

Accepted Answer

The integrity of the electrical circuit between the electrode and the tissue interface

Answer

Impedance measurements evaluate the integrity of the electrode–tissue interface; abnormally high impedances may indicate an open circuit, and very low impedances can indicate a short circuit.

Question 5

A child receives a cochlear implant at age 18 months. According to research on critical periods, when should auditory rehabilitation be most intensively initiated?

Accepted Answer

Immediately following device activation

Answer

Auditory rehabilitation should begin immediately at device activation to take advantage of the sensitive period for auditory cortical development and maximize speech/language outcomes.

(ABA) American Board of Audiology Practice Test

(ABA) American Board of Audiology Practice Test

ABA Cochlear Implants & Implantable Hearing Devices 2