Tympanogram
The graphical output of tympanometry, plotting middle ear admittance against ear canal air pressure, classified into types (A, B, C, etc.) to indicate middle ear status.
Full Definition
A tympanogram is the visual record produced during tympanometric assessment, typically classified using the Jerger classification system: Type A (normal), Type As (shallow/stiff), Type Ad (deep/flaccid), Type B (flat, suggesting fluid or perforation), and Type C (negative peak pressure, suggesting Eustachian tube dysfunction). Editors must ensure the correct Jerger type designation is used and that subscript letters (As, Ad) are properly formatted. The document is distinct from an audiogram and should never be labeled as such in clinical reports.
Usage
Usage note: Subscript letters in Type As and Type Ad should be formatted as true subscripts in clinical documents; editors should flag plain-text workarounds.
In Context
- "A Type C tympanogram indicated negative middle ear pressure, suggestive of Eustachian tube dysfunction." — ENT referral letter
- "Ensure that tympanogram type designations use the correct subscript format (e.g., Type A_s, not 'Type AS')." — Editorial style guide