A1 Acoustic Rhinometer

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A1 Acoustic Rhinometer

• The following presentation gives an overview of
  the main functions of the A1Acoustic Rhinometer,
  its accessories and normal operational
  procedures.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerPC Interface

• The system comprises the A1 Rhinometer linked to
  a compatible PC through a USB interface, along
  with a sound tube and nosepieces to link to the
  subject.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware/Hardware

• Software capable of running with Windows from
  2000 up to Vista is provided.
• The standard sound tube is used with adults and
  children from about 5 years.
• Smaller alternatives are available

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerAccessories

• Connection to patients is by means of anatomical
  nose adaptors which are available in medium and
  large sizes. They are supplied in pairs as they
  are profiled to fit the shape of the nose. An
  improved seal can be obtained by using gel on the
  top face.
• Round ended (conical) nosepieces are available as
  an alternative.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware

• The software opens on the patient details tab.
• All of the fields shown can be moved, deleted,
  edited or altered to define which character type
  and number of characters are allowed.
• One field can be set as the file name for the
  patient

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware

• Under Tools and View it is possible to select the
  colour used for any element on the screen and
  also on the printouts.
• It is also possible to define the line style and
  thickness used.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware

• Under the Acoustic tab you can set
• The distance range over which volume is
  calculated
• The distance range over which the system looks
  for minimum areas (turning points)

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware (continued)

• You can also specify up to 5 additional distance
  sectors over which volume is calculated and
• Up to 5 fixed distances into the nose at which
  points the area present will be reported.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware (continued)

• The scale used for the vertical axis can be
  reduced or expanded and can be changed from
  logarithmic to linear.
• The scale used for the distance axis can be
  reduced or expanded.
• The scale used when curves are shown in linear
  mode can also be changed.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware (continued)

• Under the Acquisition tab the number of curves
  comprising a test can be altered.
• You can also change the time delay between curve
  measurements.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerSoftware (Continued)

• The Executive versions of A1 are supplied with a
  model artificial nose to allow the performance of
  the system to be checked.
• Provision has been made to allow other nose
  models, perhaps for different populations to be
  added.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Switch on A1 and start the program. Fit the
  calibration plug to the end of the sound tube.
• If the patient has not been tested before, select
  the Patient tab and enter Patient details. If
  they have been tested before click on OPEN and
  select their file.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Click on the Acquire button at the top of the
  screen.
• Check that the calibration plug is still in the
  sound tube, then click on CALIBRATE.
• Look for a message saying Calibration Complete

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Select side to tell the system whether you want
  to measure the RIGHT or LEFT side of the nose.
• Look at the patient and decide whether you need
  to use medium or large anatomical nosepieces or
  if appropriate, what size of conical nosepiece.
• If anatomical, select a blue nosepiece to measure
  the left side and a red nosepiece for the right
  side.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Fit the nosepiece to the sound tube, position it
  on the side of the nose selected earlier with the
  pointed section of the nosepiece towards the
  centre.
• Ask the patient to hold the sound tube gently in
  position while you check to see if the nose is
  distorted. Move the sound tube if required.
• Ask the patient to breath gently in and out
  through their nose to see if a leak is present.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• When you are happy with positioning, ask the
  patient to open their mouth and mouth breathe.
• Tell them that when you say so, take a breath in
  and hold their breath.
• Ask them to do that and then click on the red
  button to take in data. A footswitch facility is
  available as an optional extra.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Over the next couple of seconds curves will show
  on the screen, after which you can remove the
  sound tube from the patient.
• Curves can be viewed, and if required, deselected
  by using the tick boxes on the right side of the
  screen

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• The volume between previously set distances into
  the nose is displayed below the curves, along
  with the position and distance into the nose of
  the first 2 minimum areas found.
• The test is added to the patient test list to the
  left of the screen.
• Comments can now be added to the scroll box on
  the bottom left of screen.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Testing of the other side of the nose, or
  additional testing on this side, can now be
  performed.
• The new curves will be added to the test list for
  that patient.
• Comparisons of various kinds can now be made.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Comparisons can be made between any two left or
  any two right side curves. Also between any left
  and right side result.
• The picture shows a left/right comparison in
  linear view, but you can also superimpose them or
  show them separately in horizontal or vertical
  split views.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• This picture shows the same curve in horizontal
  split view.
• Below the curves see-
• The volume between a number of preset distances
  into the nose and the first two minimum areas,
  for LEFT side and RIGHT side.
• Percentage differences between the LEFT and RIGHT
  values are calculated and shown.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Having created a combined LEFT/RIGHT test result,
  you can compare this with another in ANALYSIS
  view.
• Additional values are calculated and PRE/POST
  graphical displays created.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• A printout of any result shown on the screen can
  be made by clicking on the PRINT button.
• A more sophisticated printout can be created by
  selecting the OUTPUT tab.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Any of the files in the patient test list can be
  selected for printout by clicking in the
  appropriate tick box.
• The system will add the patient details to the
  top of the first page

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• The final operation in a test sequence will be to
  save the new results to the patient record file.
• This is done by clicking on the save button which
  generates a SAVE AS dialog box, which will show
  the name of the file already opened, in the case
  of someone who has been tested before, or the
  name from the patient details tab designated to
  be the file name.

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A1 Acoustic RhinometerOperation

• Having saved/updated the previous records, click
  on NEW to start testing a patient new to the
  system, or click on OPEN to add records to
  someone who has already been tested, or on EXIT
  to close the program.