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Rinne Test

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Rinne Test

Illustration of the Weber Test and Rinne Test[1]
The smartphone based Rinne test[2]
  • Rinne Test
  • Rinne's Test
  • Rinne hearing test
  • Rinne tuning fork test
  • Rinne tuning-fork test

Purpose

  • Uses a tuning fork to distinguish between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss
  • Recommend using 512 Hz tuning fork, less accurate is the 256 Hz fork

Description

  • Requires a tuning fork
  • Place the base of a struck tuning fork on the mastoid bone behind the ear
  • Have the patient indicate when sound is no longer heard
  • Move fork (held at base) beside ear and ask if now audible
  • Normal test
    • Air conduction > bone conduction
    • Patient can hear fork at ear
  • Conductive loss
    • Bone conduction > air conduction
    • Patient will not hear fork at ear.

Pathology

Evidence

Hearing Loss

  • Kelly et al using a 512 Hz tuning fork[3]
    • Sensitivity: 16-87%
    • Specificity: 55-100%

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Image courtesy of uptodate.com, "Evaluation of hearing loss in adults"
  2. ↑ Hibscher, Daniel, et al. "Validation of a smartphone-based Rinne test to detect an air-bone gap." European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (2021): 1-7.
  3. ↑ Kelly, Elizabeth A., Bin Li, and Meredith E. Adams. "Diagnostic accuracy of tuning fork tests for hearing loss: a systematic review." Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 159.2 (2018): 220-230.
Created by:
John Kiel on 13 May 2022 08:20:15
Authors:
Last edited:
21 July 2026 12:09:50
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