Hearing tests: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Hearing tests

Sample item

A patient with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss finds loud sounds uncomfortably loud, although soft sounds are missed. Audiometry shows positive loudness recruitment and a high short increment sensitivity index (SISI) score, with no significant tone decay. Where is the lesion most likely located?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Cochlea (sensory hair cell lesion)

Recruitment and high SISI scores are features of cochlear lesions such as Meniere's disease. Retrocochlear lesions show pathological tone decay, poor speech discrimination and absence of recruitment.

Option by option

  • A. Auditory cortex

    A cortical lesion does not produce a unilateral peripheral loss with recruitment.

  • B. Cochlea (sensory hair cell lesion) (correct)

    Positive recruitment with high SISI and no tone decay localises the lesion to the cochlea.

  • C. Eighth nerve (retrocochlear lesion)

    Retrocochlear lesions show abnormal tone decay and lack recruitment, the opposite of this pattern.

  • D. Middle ear ossicular chain

    A middle ear lesion causes conductive loss and does not produce recruitment.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, Cochlea (sensory hair cell lesion). Recruitment and high SISI scores are features of cochlear lesions such as Meniere's disease.

Why is "Auditory cortex" not the answer?

A cortical lesion does not produce a unilateral peripheral loss with recruitment.

Why is "Eighth nerve (retrocochlear lesion)" not the answer?

Retrocochlear lesions show abnormal tone decay and lack recruitment, the opposite of this pattern.

Why is "Middle ear ossicular chain" not the answer?

A middle ear lesion causes conductive loss and does not produce recruitment.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hearing tests in ENT. Retrocochlear lesions show pathological tone decay, poor speech discrimination and absence of recruitment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Hearing tests?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.