The exercises on this page are designed to help you better understand acute otitis media. To gain the most benefit from these exercises, you should have a general understanding of tympanometry, TM anatomy, and the grading system used before getting started. Use the links below review these key areas at any time:

• Tympanometry
• Tympanic membrane anatomy
• Grading system

Exercises:

Remember that grading the severity of AOM based on images of the tympanic membrane is somewhat subjective. Our trained clinicians have evaluated these photos with 70-88% agreement. Don't worry if you don't get them all "right". The primary objective of these exercises is to encourage you to look carefully at each tympanic membrane and describe what you see. This is the first step toward accurate diagnosis.

You may leave the exercises and return to this page or the AOM Website home page at any time. To maximize interactivity, some exercises use dynamic HTML and other advanced web page coding techniques that are browser specific. These exercises are clearly identified and alternatives with similar learning opportunities are included. (If you are still using a version 3 browser, you may wish to download a more recent version of Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.)

Whenever you see this button, you may use it to review the standard set of grading scale images:

Each page contains one tympanogram and 4 possible answers. Click the continue button to check your answer. There are a total of 12 pages and a button to view a normal tympanogram on each page. 

(For version 3 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape. Requires cookies enabled for scoring.) 

Each page has 3 tympanic membrane images that must be arranged from left to right in order of increasing severity of AOM. The 10 pages are divided into two sets, with Set 2 being more difficult than Set 1.

(For Netscape 4.08 and above on Windows and Macintosh.  Internet Explorer 4.01 and above on Windows only.) 

Each page contains 3 grading scale images and 3 unknowns.  With the mouse, unknowns are dragged next to the matching grade.  Users can check their score and re-match those missed.  Reloading the page "scrambles" the unknowns. There are a total of 10 pages. 

(For Netscape 4.08 and above on Windows and Macintosh.  Internet Explorer 4.01 and above on Windows only.) 

Each page contains one tympanic membrane image that is either normal or exhibits a degree of otitis media.  You must select the correct grade before continuing to the next page.  There are two sets of 10 pages each.  Grading scales images are displayed in Set 1. 

(For version 3 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape. Requires cookies enabled for scoring.) 

Each page has 4 tympanic membrane images that range from normal to Grade 7 AOM.  Select the correct grade for each image.  Answers can be checked and changed until all 4 are identified correctly. 

There are a total of 10 pages. The first 5 include the grading scale images. The second 5 use the Review Grading button to launch the grading scale in a separate window as desired.

(For version 3 or above of Internet Explorer or Netscape.)