TEOAEs have been used as a tool for screening hearing losses. The features of TEOAE parameter s, such as overall response, reproducibility and SNR in each frequency, bandhelp to evaluate the hearing loss more clearly. The frequency spectrum has a relationship with the pattern of audiogram, but it is impossible to find the thresholds of hearing per frequency. The purpose of this study is to find whether there is a meaningful relationship between the parameter s and mild hearing losses and to establish the standards of parameter s with respect to the sensitivity and specificity. The data were analyzed by the parameter including the response, SNR and reproducibility in overall frequencies, and the reproducibility and SNR in four narrow bands with the center frequencies of 1, 2, 3 and 4 kHz. TEOAEs were measured for 30 normal ear s and 50 ear s with mild sensorineural hearing losses. The result s were as follows : (1) In case of mild sensorineural hearing loss,
there was a significant correlation (p < .001) between pure tone average thresholds and overall TEOAEs responses. (2) Significant correlations were also found between each threshold of 1 kHz - 4 kHz and the corresponding reproducibility and SNR. Both the sensitivity and specificity were high when the SNR of 7 dB and 50 or 70 % of reproducibility were used as screening criteria and the threshold of 25 dB HL as a diagnostic
criteria. These result s suggest that TEOAEs can be a valuable tool especially screening for a mild hearing loss.
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