Development of a measurement apparatus "Sweep Frequency Impedance Meter (SFI)", which diagnoses middle and inner ear dysfunctions

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11194
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University
• Principal Investigator: Wada Hiroshi 東北文化学園大学, 健康社会システム研究科, 教授 (30111264)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 濱西 伸治 仙台高等専門学校, 総合工学科, 准教授 (00374968) ; 村越 道生 金沢大学, フロンティア工学系, 准教授 (70570901)
• Research Collaborator: KEI Joseph
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 診断装置 / 中耳・内耳

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Conventional fixed-frequency tympanometry has been widely used and has especially been acknowledged as a valuable method for the diagnosis of secretory otitis media. However, the use of conventional fixed-frequency tympanometry has been demonstrated as too inaccurate for diagnosis of other middle ear dysfunctions.
In our research, an attempt was made to develop a measuring apparatus : Sweep Frequency Impedance Meter (SFI). Considering acoustic and structural resonance effects upon the frequency characteristics of an SFI probe tip, it was designed to have flat frequency characteristics at frequencies of 0.1 - 6.0 kHz. The dynamic characteristics of ears of human subjects were measured using this apparatus. Subsequently, measurement results were compared with results of numerical simulations.

Free Research Field

生体工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発したSFIでヒトの耳を計測すると，これまで十分に解明されてこなかった，周波数領域0.1 kHzから6.0 kHzでの中耳動特性が明らかとなる．さらに，このSFIで中耳・内耳疾患を計測すると，中耳・内耳疾患をかなりの精度で診断できるようになる．このSFIは，将来的には中耳・内耳疾患の診断装置と新生児の難聴スクリーニング用装置になる可能性を秘めている．