Exam (elaborations) Hearing Aid Dispenser License California

Bone Conduction Masking Cases:
Questions & Answers
Clinical Scenarios and Their Solutions
 Question 1: A patient presents with a left ear bone conduction
threshold of 30 dB HL and a right ear bone conduction threshold of 50
dB HL. The air conduction threshold in the left ear is 80 dB HL, and in
the right ear, it is 70 dB HL. The interaural attenuation (IA) for bone
conduction is 0 dB. What is the masking level for the left ear bone
conduction threshold in this situation?
 Answer: B. 70 dB
 Question 2: A patient with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in the
right ear has the following audiometric results: Right ear air
conduction: 90 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 40 dB HL; Left ear air
conduction: 40 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 25 dB HL. What is the
appropriate masking level for the right ear during bone conduction
testing?
 Answer: A. 45 dB
 Question 3: During bone conduction testing, a patient’s air
conduction threshold in the right ear is 60 dB HL and their bone
conduction threshold is 50 dB HL. The interaural attenuation (IA) for
bone conduction is 0 dB. The patient’s left ear air conduction threshold
is 40 dB HL. What is the necessary masking level for the left ear during
bone conduction testing?
 Answer: A. 50 dB HL
 Question 4: A patient presents with bilateral conductive hearing loss.
The air conduction threshold for the right ear is 80 dB HL, and the left
ear’s air conduction threshold is 85 dB HL. The right ear bone
conduction threshold is 25 dB HL, and the left ear bone conduction
threshold is 20 dB HL. Which of the following best describes the
masking procedure for the bone conduction test in this case?
 Answer: B. Masking is required for both ears, as there is a significant
air-bone gap.
 Question 5: A patient presents with the following audiogram: Right
ear air conduction: 90 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 40 dB HL; Left
ear air conduction: 20 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 25 dB HL. The
interaural attenuation for bone conduction is 0 dB. What is the most

, likely reason that masking would be needed for the right ear during
bone conduction testing?
 Answer: A. The left ear bone conduction threshold exceeds the right
ear’s air conduction threshold.
 Question 6: A 25-year-old patient has the following test results: Right
ear air conduction: 60 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 40 dB HL; Left
ear air conduction: 50 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 45 dB HL. What
is the masking level for the left ear during bone conduction testing?
 Answer: D. 50 dB HL
 Question 7: A patient presents with the following audiogram: Right
ear air conduction: 85 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 30 dB HL; Left
ear air conduction: 80 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 25 dB HL. What
is the best approach to determine whether masking is required for the
bone conduction test?
 Answer: A. Check if the difference between air and bone conduction
exceeds 40 dB in either ear.
 Question 8: A patient presents with the following audiogram: Right
ear air conduction: 90 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 70 dB HL; Left
ear air conduction: 40 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 35 dB HL. What
is the appropriate masking level for the left ear during bone conduction
testing?
 Answer: A. 70 dB HL
 Question 9: A patient presents with the following audiometric results:
Right ear air conduction: 80 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 40 dB
HL; Left ear air conduction: 70 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 50 dB
HL. What is the appropriate masking level for the left ear during bone
conduction testing?
 Answer: A. 60 dB HL
 Question 10: A patient with bilateral mixed hearing loss presents with
the following results: Right ear air conduction: 90 dB HL; Right ear
bone conduction: 40 dB HL; Left ear air conduction: 85 dB HL; Left ear
bone conduction: 30 dB HL. What is the masking level required for the
left ear during bone conduction testing?
 Answer: A. 70 dB HL
 Question 11: A patient with the following thresholds presents: Right
ear air conduction: 70 dB HL; Right ear bone conduction: 60 dB HL; Left
ear air conduction: 40 dB HL; Left ear bone conduction: 20 dB HL. What
is the required masking level for the left ear during bone conduction
testing?
 Answer: A. 60 dB HL