Rinne Test
Pronunciation: RIN-eh
A clinical tuning-fork test that compares air conduction to bone conduction sensitivity to screen for conductive hearing loss at the bedside.
Full Definition
The Rinne test uses a vibrating tuning fork (typically 512 Hz) placed first on the mastoid process (bone conduction) and then held adjacent to the ear canal (air conduction). In normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss, air conduction is perceived as louder than bone conduction (a positive Rinne result). A negative Rinne—where bone conduction is perceived as louder—indicates conductive hearing loss of approximately 25–30 dB or more. Editors must note that 'positive' and 'negative' Rinne results are counterintuitively named: a negative result indicates pathology. The Rinne test is named after Heinrich Adolf Rinne; the name should be capitalised and spelled without an accent in most English-language clinical publications. A false-negative Rinne can occur in cases of profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss due to transcranial transmission.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalise 'Rinne' as a proper noun; clarify 'positive' vs 'negative' result interpretation when editing patient reports or educational materials, as the nomenclature is commonly misunderstood.
In Context
- "A negative Rinne at 512 Hz in the right ear, with air conduction perceived for only two seconds after bone conduction had faded, suggested a significant right-sided conductive component." — ENT clinic bedside assessment note
- "The report incorrectly described a negative Rinne as 'normal'; editors should flag this, as a negative Rinne indicates conductive hearing loss." — Medical editorial annotation