title: Olfactory bulb volume and olfactory function in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some studies reported olfactory dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). There is no agreement about the most suitable testing method for measuring olfactory function (OF) in MS patients. Recent studies showed that olfactory bulb volume changes with the degree of olfactory dysfunction. We assessed olfactory bulb volume of MS patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and related it to the OF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Volumetric measurements of the right and left olfactory bulb (OB) were performed by manual segmentation within 36 MS patients. Psychophysical testing of the orthonasal OF was performed using threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) score in MS patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all MS patients, 44.4% displayed olfactory dysfunction. The TDI score of all 36 MS patients, especially the score of the Identification subtest correlated strongly with neurological scores typical of MS. In patients with a decreased OB volume, there was a positive correlation between volumetry of the OB and OF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OB volumes may provide valuable information about MS patients with olfactory dysfunction. The TDI test and Identification subtest were very sensitive in detecting olfactory dysfunction in MS patients.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Berlin, Charite Campus Mitte, Smell and Taste Consultation Service, Berlin, Germany. oender.goektas@charite.de
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Goektas
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Schmidt
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Bohner
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Erb
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ludemann
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Dahlslett
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Harms
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Fleiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D009929:Organ Size; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed