이음향방사(Otoacoustic Emission)는 와우의 외유모세포에서 방사되는 에너지가 중이 및 외이도로 나오는 것을 포착하여 분석하는 검사법으로 와우의 기능을 평가하는데 있어 비침습성, 객관성, 신속성으로 인한 임상적 잠재력이 인정되어, 유소아 청력의 객관적인 집단 선별검사(screening test)와 와우병변의 감지(monitor)에 이용되고 있다.5)6)13) 그러나 모든 이음향 방사는 외이도에서 측정되기 전 중이를 거치기 때문에 중이의 전도도의 변화는 이음향방사의 진폭을 감소시키고 때로는 반응을 완전히 소멸시킨다. 특히 중이 전도도를 저하시키는 중이 삼출액(effusion)은 중이의 탄성을 변화시켜 2 kHz 이내의 낮은 주파수대의 음 전달을 억제시켜 청력에 대한 선별도가 떨어져 결과의 해
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) are non -invasive, quick and objective methods to access the function of a cochlear and screen the children’s hearing. Recently, DPOAE latencies have been considered to be related to the progressing of the traveling wave along the basilar membrane. It may also reflect the function of the cochlear. The aim of this study was to investigate if the latency measures could be efficiently used for screening people with normal hearing and with conductive hearing loss. For this purpose, DPOAE latencies were measured as a function of frequency from 1 to 8 kHz with frequency ratio f2/f1＝1.22 in 22 normal preschool children and 23 ears with conductive hearing loss (mild effusion). The results were as follow：There was a significant difference in latency between ears with normal hearing and with Middle ear effusion (MEE) as a function of frequency. The mean value of DPOAE latency for normal ears was significantly lower than that of ears with conductive hearing loss except 8 kHz (p<.05). There was no gender effect in latency for most frequencies except 1 kHz. KEY WORDS：DPOAEs·MEE
INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSIONS CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES
