Correlation between olfactory acuity and sinonasal radiological findings in adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify the correlation between olfactory disorder severity and radiological findings in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the preoperative stage. METHODS: From 2007 to 2014, 272 adult patients (163 men, 109 women; age range 22-80 years) with olfactory disorder due to bilateral CRS who were scheduled to undergo primary endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) were enrolled. Two groups were studied: eosinophilic CRS (ECRS, n=193); and non-ECRS (n=79). T&T olfactometer recognition and intravenous olfaction tests were used. Computed tomography (CT) scores for sinuses and olfactory clefts (OC) were applied. Correlations between olfactory acuity and CT score were statistically analysed. RESULTS: In both groups, recognition threshold correlated significantly with CT score. Recognition threshold and CT score were significantly more severe in ECRS than in non-ECRS. CT score at OC showed the strongest correlation with recognition threshold. CT scores for total sinuses and OC in patients showing a positive response to the intravenous olfaction test (239 patients) were significantly milder than those in the negative group (29 patients), but ethmoid CT score was not. CONCLUSION: Olfactory disorder severity correlated significantly with CT opacification. Olfactory disorder and CT findings were more severe in patients with ECRS than in those with non-ECRS.