Real-Ear Measurement
Also written as: REM — Real-Ear Measurement
A hearing aid verification procedure in which a probe microphone placed in the ear canal measures the actual sound pressure level delivered by the hearing device at the eardrum.
Full Definition
Real-Ear Measurement (REM) is the clinical gold standard for verifying that a hearing aid is delivering the prescribed amplification targets to an individual patient's ear canal. A thin probe tube microphone is inserted alongside the hearing aid, and measurements are taken with and without the device active (referred to as the Real-Ear Unaided Response [REUR] and Real-Ear Aided Response [REAR], respectively). The results are compared against prescriptive targets such as those generated by the NAL-NL2 or DSL v5.0 fitting formulae. Editors working with audiology documents should be alert to the full range of REM-related abbreviations (REUR, REAR, REIG, RECD) and ensure they are defined on first use. REM is sometimes incorrectly referred to as 'probe-microphone measurement,' which is an acceptable synonym.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as 'Real-Ear Measurement' in all positions. The abbreviation REM is acceptable on subsequent use. Distinguish carefully from 'functional gain,' which is a behavioral (not electroacoustic) measure of hearing aid benefit.
In Context
- "Real-Ear Measurement confirmed that the prescribed gain targets were met bilaterally before the patient was discharged from the fitting appointment." — Hearing aid fitting clinical note
- "The audit revealed that REM had not been conducted at the initial fitting, contrary to best-practice guidelines." — Clinical audit report