The manual LOT test

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Hearing Science
• Diagnostic Testing

Background:

• The lengthened off-time (LOT)-Békésy test is a standard audiological assessment.
• Automatic recording devices are typically required for the LOT-Békésy test, increasing costs.
• Exploring manual variations can enhance accessibility and cost-effectiveness in audiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of a manual variation of the LOT-Békésy test.
• To assess if a manual LOT test can yield comparable results to the automatic version.
• To evaluate the potential for using existing audiometers without additional equipment.

Main Methods:

• A manual LOT-Békésy test procedure was developed, requiring the audiologist to manually adjust the attenuator.
• Ten subjects with nonorganic hearing loss were tested.
• Results from the manual LOT test were compared with those from the automatic LOT test.

Main Results:

• The manual LOT-Békésy test procedure was found to be feasible.
• Results obtained using the manual method were equivalent to the automatic LOT test.
• The manual technique demonstrated reliability in assessing nonorganic hearing loss.

Conclusions:

• A manual variation of the LOT-Békésy test is a viable and cost-effective alternative.
• This manual method can be implemented with most wide-range audiometers.
• The findings support the adoption of this manual procedure in clinical audiology settings.