A Hyperspectral Imaging Tympanoscope As a Diagnostic Tool: System Development and a Pilot Study Publisher



Taghizade T ; Farahani S ; Kouhi A ; Balooch A ; Akbarzadebaghban A ; Esmaili M
Source: Auditory and Vestibular Research Published:2026

Abstract

Background and Aim: Accurate diagnosis of Middle Ear Effusion (MEE) is a challenging task due to the lack of reliable diagnostic tools available to physicians and audiologists. This study aimed to develop a hyperspectral imaging tympanoscope for diagnosing MEE and evaluate its diagnostic ability. Methods: The tympanoscope system was constructed using an ear endoscope, lens, camera, and near-infrared wavelengths. Its diagnostic ability was evaluated with a middle ear-mimicking phantom. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted on middle ear images from 10 children (five healthy and five with MEE). Results: Phantom experiments revealed a Weber contrast difference of 0.16 and 0.49 between phantoms with and without fluid in visible otoscopy and hyperspectral tympanoscopy, respectively. As a result, in hyperspectral tympanoscopy, the contrast difference between fluid presence and absence was nearly tripled. Furthermore, in the pilot study, a significant difference was found in Weber contrast between healthy children and those with MEE (p<0.001), with higher contrast in the MEE group. Conclusion: The hyperspectral imaging tympanoscope can quantitatively distinguish between the presence or absence of fluid in the middle ear. It has potential as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for MEE. Copyright © 2026 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.