Multi-Frequency Tympanometry: Clinical Applications for the Assessment of the Middle Ear Status

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was to review the current knowledge on multi-frequency tympanometry and explore its role as a diagnostic tool in various otologic conditions. Literature review in Medline and other database sources. Prospective controlled, prospective comparative, and prospective cohort studies, animal studies, retrospective studies and systematic reviews. Multi-frequency tympanometry provides more accurate and detailed information about the middle ear dynamics than standard tympanometry. Otosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis characteristically increase the resonant frequency (RF) of the middle ear. Ossicular chain discontinuity, atelectatic tympanic membrane, and otitis media with effusion typically decrease the RF of the middle ear. Multifrequency tympanometry can also assess the stage of rheumatoid arthritis in the presence of middle ear involvement. The RF can be affected by the mechanical impedance of the cochlea, and multi-frequency tympanometry can be helpful in the diagnostic workup of LVAS. Multi-frequency tympanometry can be a useful tool to predict the diagnosis of various middle ear pathologies preoperatively, due to the ensuing changes in the RF of the mechano-acoustic system of the middle ear, which can be accurately determined when this methodology is applied.

The effect of adenoid hypertrophy on tympanometric findings in children without hearing loss

“…[6] Tympanometry provides useful quantitative information about the presence of fluid in the middle ear. [13] Usually, tympanometry is more easily performed than otoscopic examination in children. [12] Middle ear pressures in the range of -100 to -400 daPa are common tympanometric findings and often alternate with type B tympanograms indicating middle ear pressures below -400 daPa and the presence of middle ear effusion.…”

Test-Retest Reliability of the Components of Multi-Frequency Tympanometry

“…Multi-frequency tympanometry is efficient for detecting middle ear pathologies that may be missed in single-frequency tympanometry [1,[11][12] . The components of multi-frequency tympanometry are efficient for detecting mass-and stiffness-dominated pathologies [7,8] .…”

“…Multi-frequency tympanometry provides valuable information on the multiple components of admittance (conductance, mass reactance, and stiffness reactance) across different probe tone frequencies [1] . The admittance of the middle ear is a two-dimensional quantity and is a vector sum of conductance (G) and total susceptance (B).There can be differences in these components in different middle ear disorders [2] .…”

Normalisation values for the resonant frequency of the middle ear in rats

“…It is a testing method that provides information on the conductance of the outer ear and the admittance of the middle ear. The test gives information about the components that make up middle ear admittance: conductance, mass and stiffness (3). The most useful parameter obtained by MFT in a clinical setting is the middle ear resonant frequency (RF).…”