For valid air conduction threshold measurements, what must occur regarding masking?

In auditory testing, particularly when assessing air conduction thresholds, the use of masking is crucial for obtaining valid measurements. Masking is employed to isolate the test ear and prevent false threshold responses that can occur due to sound crossover to the non-test ear. This is particularly important when there is a significant difference in hearing sensitivity between the ears or when there is a conductive hearing loss that affects one ear more than the other.

When it is stated that masking must be determined appropriately, it emphasizes the necessity of adequately applying masking techniques based on the individual patient's hearing profile and the specific testing circumstances. This means that a hearing specialist should assess whether masking is necessary before conducting the test and, if so, apply it correctly to ensure that the thresholds measured truly reflect the hearing ability of the test ear alone.

The other options do not meet the rigor required for valid threshold measurements due to the possibility of inaccurate results caused by cross-hearing. Therefore, appropriate determination and application of masking are essential for valid air conduction threshold measurements, validating the accuracy of the results obtained during testing.