MENODYS announces the publication in Frontiers in Neurology of the clinical validation results of its Tinnitus Assessment Technology

Longueuil, Quebec, Canada – MENODYS announces that the results of the clinical validation of its tinnitus assessment technology (TAT) have been accepted for publication in the February 2017 edition of the journal “Frontiers in Neurology”. Invented by Pr. Sylvie Hébert and Mr. Philippe Fournier of the School of Speech Pathology and Audiology at the University of Montreal, the TAT offers audiology specialists around the world a rapid and innovative approach to objectively assess the frequency and amplitude of their patient’s tinnitus. Current clinical assessment of tinnitus relies mainly on self-report. Psychoacoustic assessment of tinnitus pitch and loudness are recommended but methods yield variable results. The published results report that a previously validated fixed laboratory-based method and a newly developed clinically-relevant portable prototype (MENODYS TAT) yield comparable results in the assessment of psychoacoustic tinnitus pitch and loudness. The clinical validation identified that despite differences in the devices’ physical presentations, likeness and loudness ratings were globally consistent between the two methods and, moreover, highly reproducible from one method to the other on the subjects tested. All in all, both methods yielded robust tinnitus data in less than 12 minutes, with the MENODYS TAT having the advantage of not being dependent of learning effects, being user-friendly, and being adaptable to the audiogram of each patient to further reduce testing time.

“This publication confirms the successful transformation of a University-based concept into a commercially ready medical technology that will modify the way patients with tinnitus can precisely define the nature of their tinnitus in both frequency and loudness, in less than 12 minutes. The MENODYS TAT thus offers an innovative tool for audiology specialists to objectively define tinnitus and follow up regularly on the benefit of the prescribed tinnitus symptom attenuation protocol”, said Richard Côté, Executive Vice President of MENODYS.

Tinnitus is an important health issue in audiology affecting more than 360 000 Canadians, 30 million Americans and more than 120 million Europeans.