Olfactory function and olfactory bulb volume in patients with postinfectious olfactory loss.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to investigate whether the degree of postinfectious olfactory loss is reflected in volume of the olfactory bulb (OB).


METHODS
Retrospective study of 26 patients with postinfectious olfactory loss.


METHODS
Olfactory function was assessed with the "Sniffin' Sticks" test kit, and the magnetic resonance imaging study focused on OB volume and the olfactory sulcus.


RESULTS
The study revealed that 1) OB volume varies with regard to olfactory function, 2) OB volume decreases with duration of olfactory loss, and 3) patients with parosmia had smaller OB volumes than patients who did not report such smell distortions, although their overall olfactory function was not significantly different from each other.


CONCLUSIONS
The study emphasizes that OB volume is a gauge of olfactory function.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium. philippe.rombaux@orlo.ucl.ac.be
Philippe
P
Rombaux
André
A
Mouraux
Bernard
B
Bertrand
Georges
G
Nicolas
Thierry
T
Duprez
Thomas
T
Hummel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000473:pathology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*