title: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in the evaluation of traumatic anosmia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Head trauma is a common cause of anosmia, but diagnosis is typically late, owing to more life-threatening sequelae of the injury. Herein, we describe our workup for a case of traumatic anosmia and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings both at the time of injury and at the 18-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case report and a review of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 33-year-old woman presented to our institution with a chief complaint of loss of smell and taste following an occipital blow to her head that occurred when she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. We present the findings of MRI performed at the time of the injury and at the 18-month follow-up. We describe the clinical progression of her disease, from symptoms of parosmic and phantosmic episodes accompanied by dysgeusia to total anosmia at the 18-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We advocate the use of MRI, coupled with otolaryngology consultation and formal olfactory testing, in the diagnosis, management, and counseling of patients with anosmia sustained from head injury.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 5-Ravdin, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moonis
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirza
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000293:injuries; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000473:pathology*