Writing a short yet comprehensive textbook to explore the vast and developing field of acoustic immittance measures seems like a challenge. This book aims to explore the core concepts behind immittance testing and provide an update on recent developments within this field. The authors fulfil that aim well.
The book opens with a look back at acoustic immittance, from renaissance-era discoveries to modern-day testing. The authors move on to provide an in-depth look at the core mathematical principles behind the numerical values we recognise in clinical practice. Although the authors have aimed to create a book which is accessible and easy-to-understand, there are times when trying to fit so much mathematical theory into such a short text could be overwhelming.
The text is well laid out; the authors have added conclusions and study questions at the end of each chapter to highlight key facts. The text covers multiple forms of immittance testing, including an informative chapter dedicated to stapedial reflex testing. It provides an excellent starting point for those wanting to broaden their knowledge and understanding of wideband reflectance and multi-frequency testing. It is a shame that the book will not be colour printed. Clinical images used to demonstrate middle ear disorders unfortunately appear dark and unclear. There are also some colour-coded graphs which become difficult to interpret when all curves are grey.
Although the authors have included one chapter on middle ear measurement in infants, reading this book as a paediatric practitioner, I feel that perhaps greater depth is needed in this section.
This book would ultimately be a good starting point for any clinician wanting to refresh or broaden their knowledge on this subject. It would also suit students who are interested in a more affordable and up-to-date textbook than what is currently available.
