Magnetic resonance imaging findings in the evaluation of traumatic anosmia.
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.
Wise
Jeffrey B
JB
Dept of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 5-Ravdin, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Moonis
Gul
G
Mirza
Natasha
N
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*