Research paperForward and reverse transfer functions of the middle ear based on pressure and velocity DPOAEs with implications for differential hearing diagnosis

Recently it was shown that distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) can be measured as vibration of the human tympanic membrane in vivo, and proposed to use these vibration DPOAEs to support a differential diagnosis of middle-ear and cochlear pathologies. Here, we investigate how the reverse transfer function (r-TF), defined as the ratio of DPOAE-velocity of the umbo to DPOAE-pressure in the ear canal, can be used to diagnose the state of the middle ear. Anaesthetized guinea pigs served as the experimental animal. Sound was delivered free-field and the vibration of the umbo measured with a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Sound pressure was measured 2-3 mm from the tympanic membrane with a probe-tube microphone. The forward transfer function (f-TF) of umbo velocity relative to ear-canal pressure was obtained by stimulating with multi-tone pressure. The r-TF was assembled from DPOAE components generated in response to acoustic stimulation with two stimulus tones of frequencies f1 and f2; f2/f1 was constant at 1.2. The r-TF was plotted as function of DPOAE frequencies; they ranged from 1.7 kHz to 23 kHz. The r-TF showed a characteristic shape with an anti-resonance around 8 kHz as its most salient feature. The data were interpreted with the aid of a middle-ear transmission-line model taken from the literature for the cat and adapted to the guinea pig. Parameters were estimated with a three-step fitting algorithm. Importantly, the r-TF is governed by only half of the 15 independent, free parameters of the model. The parameters estimated from the r-TF were used to estimate the other half of the parameters from the f-TF. The use of r-TF data - in addition to f-TF data - allowed robust estimates of the middle-ear parameters to be obtained. The results highlight the potential of using vibration DPOAEs for ascertaining the functionality of the middle ear and, therefore, for supporting a differential diagnosis of middle-ear and cochlear pathologies.

► Distortion product otoacoustic emissions were measured as vibration of the umbo. ► Vibration emissions yielded a robust functional model of the middle ear. ► Combined measurement and modelling protocol was applied successfully to individuals. ► The protocol allows objective diagnosis of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.