Olfactory cleft stenosis and obstruction on paranasal sinus CT scan in pre-septo-rhinoplasty patients: normal variants or pathologic findings?

ConclusionOC partial stenosis and partial obstruction were frequent findings in pre-septorhinoplasty patients without respiratory mucosa disease and did not influence their olfactory status. Total stenosis and complete obstruction were rarer and require further investigation.Clinical relevance statementIsolated partial olfactory cleft stenosis and obstruction should be considered normal variants, whereas the impact of complete olfactory cleft stenosis and obstruction on patient ’s olfactory status remains to be determined.Key Points•The incidence of olfactory cleft stenosis and obstruction in asymptomatic patients remains unknown, even though it is encountered in clinical practice.•Partial and total olfactory cleft stenosis occurred in 58.7% and 13.3% of the patients; partial obstruction occurred in half of the cases, but complete obstruction was extremely rare.•There are frequent findings of partial olfactory cleft obstruction and stenosis, but complete obstruction and total stenosis should be further investigated.
Source: European Radiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research