Spectroscopic Performance of Otoscopes during Otoscopic Examination by LED Headlight

Abstract

We evaluated the spectroscopic performance of an otoscope during otoscopic examinations using a headlight with an LED source. We used the mechanisms and the specifications of the objects measured with the otoscope and so on to evaluate the spectroscopic performance. Experimental equipment was built using the existing otoscope and headlight, and we demonstrated methods of measuring the spectral irradiance of the otoscope. We demonstrated methods of evaluating the spectroscopic performance using the spectral irradiance ratio and chromaticity by the measured spectral irradiance. We measured the spectral irradiance of the otoscope using the measuring methods. We found that the spectral irradiance distribution in the otoscope is greatly affected by the spectral distribution in the headlight source. We evaluated the spectroscopic performance of the otoscope using the evaluation methods. The spectroscopic performances of the reflected light onto the surface of, and the direct and reflected lights in, the otoscope differ and are affected by differences in shape, surface condition, length, and the diameter of the wide mouth. The spectroscopic performance of the direct and reflected lights in the otoscope is affected by differences in the diameter of a narrow mouth and the distance and angle between the otoscope and the headlight.