IHS Audiometric Testing Procedures 5

Question 1

What is a 'false positive' response during pure-tone audiometry?

Accepted Answer

A patient responds when no tone was actually presented

Answer

A false positive occurs when the patient raises their hand or signals a response even though no tone was presented, indicating unreliable testing behavior.

Question 2

Which audiometric configuration is classically associated with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)?

Accepted Answer

Notch at 4,000 Hz with better thresholds at adjacent frequencies

Answer

Noise-induced hearing loss characteristically produces a notch (threshold dip) at 4,000 Hz, with recovery at 8,000 Hz, due to the cochlear resonance response to hazardous noise.

Question 3

What is the recommended ambient noise level (in dB SPL) for audiometric testing in a test booth at 500 Hz according to ANSI standards?

Accepted Answer

11.5 dB SPL

Answer

ANSI S3.1 specifies maximum permissible ambient noise levels; at 500 Hz the limit is 11.5 dB SPL to allow valid threshold testing down to 0 dB HL.

Question 4

What audiometric finding distinguishes sensorineural hearing loss from conductive hearing loss?

Accepted Answer

Bone conduction thresholds are elevated and match air conduction thresholds

Answer

In sensorineural hearing loss, both air and bone conduction thresholds are elevated with no significant air-bone gap, indicating inner ear or neural involvement.

Question 5

What is the minimum air-bone gap (in dB) that is considered clinically significant for diagnosing conductive hearing loss?

Accepted Answer

15 dB

Answer

An air-bone gap of 15 dB or greater at two or more frequencies is considered clinically significant and suggests conductive pathology in the outer or middle ear.

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS Audiometric Testing Procedures 5