title: Cortical magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with posttraumatic olfactory dysfunction: comparison according to the interval between trauma and evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with smell loss after craniocerebral trauma are known to have some brain abnormalities, but there was no study to analyze the findings according to the time interval between injury and evaluation. We aimed to identify whether the time interval may influence on the findings in the brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 19 patients with posttraumatic olfactory dysfunction were reviewed. All of them underwent a magnetic resonance imaging and olfactory function tests. The patients were divided into early (n=10) and delayed (n=9) groups according to the time interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Magnetic resonance imaging was taken at a mean time of 2.2 and 59.6 months after trauma in the early and delayed groups, respectively. Abnormal findings in the brain were found in 6 and 8 patients in the early and delayed groups, respectively. The olfactory bulb and orbitofrontal cortex were commonly affected olfactory pathways in both groups. In the early group, the abnormalities were brain tissue defect, hemorrhage, and focal edema whereas tissue defect was the only finding in the delayed group. In the early group, 5 of 6 patients with severe olfactory dysfunction showed brain abnormality while 1 of 4 patients with mild dysfunction had abnormality. In the delayed group, all the patients had severe dysfunction and 8 of 9 patients showed brain abnormality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with traumatic olfactory dysfunction had abnormality in the brain, and brain abnormality might be different according to the timing of evaluation. Furthermore, there might be an association between the severity of olfactory dysfunction and radiological abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea. ; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo Jeong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea. ; Research Center for Sensory Organs, Medical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chae-Seo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ; Research Center for Sensory Organs, Medical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea. ; Research Center for Sensory Organs, Medical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Whun
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Craniocerebral trauma; Magnetic resonance imaging; Olfactory bulb; Olfactory pathways; Smell