Audiogram
A graph plotting an individual's hearing thresholds in decibels across a range of test frequencies, used as the primary diagnostic tool in audiology.
Full Definition
An audiogram displays the softest sounds a person can detect at each frequency tested, typically ranging from 250 Hz to 8,000 Hz, with hearing level in decibels (dB HL) on the vertical axis and frequency in hertz on the horizontal axis. Symbols distinguish the right ear (circle, red) from the left ear (cross, blue) and air conduction from bone conduction results. Editors must accurately reproduce audiogram symbol keys and axis labels; errors in axis orientation are a common mistake. The audiogram is the cornerstone document of any aural rehabilitation assessment.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalise axis labels (Frequency, Hearing Level) when reproduced as figure labels. Do not confuse the audiogram document with the audiometry procedure used to produce it.
In Context
- "The audiogram revealed a bilateral, symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss sloping from mild at 500 Hz to profound at 4,000 Hz." — Clinical assessment report
- "Ensure the audiogram legend uses standard ANSI symbols before the manuscript goes to typesetting." — Editorial checklist