Age-related differences in olfactory cleft volume in adults: A computational volumetric study

Age, gender, and race differences in nasal morphology: Linking air conditioning and filtration efficiency to disparities in air pollution health outcomes and COVID-19 mortality

COVID-19 mortality disparities underscore the critical role of environmental factors, age, sex, and racial demographics. This study investigates how individual variations in nasal morphology - specifically its air conditioning (temperature and humidity regulation) and filtration functions - may influence respiratory health and contribute to differential COVID-19 outcomes. Analysis reveals significant differences in nasal structure and function across racial, sex, and age groups, demonstrating associations with disparities in respiratory vulnerability to environmental stressors such as air pollution, infectious aerosols, and climatic conditions. Specifically, wider nasal cavities (more common in certain populations), larger male nasal passages, and age-related changes like mucosal atrophy and increased endonasal volume impair air conditioning and filtration efficiency. These morphological variations influence the nose's protective capacity, which is critical for shielding the middle and lower airways from environmental exposures. Populations with inherently reduced nasal filtration and conditioning efficiency demonstrate higher vulnerability, aligning with U.S. mortality patterns for both COVID-19 and air pollution across demographic groups. This suggests a direct link between nasal anatomy and population-level health disparities. These findings provide novel insights into the role of nasal anatomy in mediating respiratory health disparities by modulating individual responses to environmental exposures, air pollution, and pathogens. They highlight the need to address critical gaps in understanding how airway characteristics influence susceptibility to environmental stressors and to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing health disparities.

The Morphometric Analysis of the Ethmoid Roof for Endoscopic Sinus Surgery With Multidetector Computed Tomography

Most potential major complications in endoscopic sinus surgery are related to the ethmoid bone. To prevent complications, it is necessary to define the concept of a "dangerous ethmoid." The coronal multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans of a total of 271 patients, including 101 patients under 18 years old and 170 patients over 18 years old, were examined. For each patient, the depth of the olfactory fossa (DOF), the width of the olfactory fossa (WOF), the angle between the lateral lamella and the cribriform plate (LLCPA), the length of the lateral lamella (LLL), the distance between the nasal floor and the ethmoid roof (NFERL), and the width of the olfactory cleft (WOC) were recorded. The Keros and Gera types were determined. NFERL was found to be significantly higher in males across all age groups. WOC was significantly higher in males only under 18 years old. Only LLCPA was found to be significantly higher on the right side in both sexes. It was determined that NFERL increased with age, while WOC increased with age until 18. Keros type III and Gera type C, which are called dangerous types, were detected in 28 and 24 cases in total, respectively. The data obtained from significant anatomical landmarks in pediatric and adult cases provide useful information about the region in preoperative planning. The analysis results of the prevalence of Keros and Gera classifications allow the identification of high-risk anatomical conditions within the ethmoid.

Olfactory Cleft Length: A Possible Risk Factor for Persistent Post-COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction

INTRODUCTION

To date, little is known about predisposing factors for persistent COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction (pCIOD). The objective was to determine whether olfactory cleft (OC) measurements associate with pCIOD risk.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Three subgroups were recruited: group A included patients with pCIOD, group B included patients without olfactory dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 infection (ntCIOD), and group C consisted in controls without past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (noCOVID-19). Olfactory perception threshold (OPT) and visual analog scale for olfactory impairment (VAS-olf) were obtained. OC measurements were obtained through computed tomography scans. Results were subsequently compared.

RESULTS

A total of 55 patients with a mean age of 39 ± 10 years were included. OPT was significantly lower in pCIOD patients (group A: 4.2 ± 2.1 vs. group B: 12.3 ± 1.8 and group C: 12.2 ± 1.5, p < 0.001). VAS-olf was significantly higher in pCIOD (group A: 6 ± 2.6 vs. group B: 1.7 ± 1.6 and group C: 1.6 ± 1.5, p < 0.001). OC length was significantly higher in group A (42.8 ± 4.6) compared to group B (39.7 ± 3.4, p = 0.047) and C (39.8 ± 4, p = 0.037). The odd of pCIOD occurring after COVID-19 infection increased by 21% (95% CI [0.981, 1.495]) for a one unit (mm) increase in OC length. The odd of pCIOD occurring was 6.9 times higher when OC length >40 mm.

CONCLUSION

Longer OC may be a predisposing factor for pCIOD. This study is expected to encourage further research on OC morphology and its impact on olfactory disorders.

Ethmoid roof morphometric measurements of a pediatric population using computed tomography

OBJECTIVE

To reveal the anatomical relationships of the ethmoid roof on CT in pediatric case group.

METHODS

We measured the depth of olfactory fossa (DOF), the width of olfactory fossa (WOF), the angle between lateral lamella and cribriform plate (LLCPA), the width of the olfactory cleft (WOC), the length of lateral lamella (LLL), orbital roof fovea to ethmoidal distance (ORFED) and orbital roof to cribriform plate distance (ORCPD) and we determined Keros and LLCPA types from paranasal sinus CT of subjects under 16 years of age retrospectively.

RESULTS

The incidence of Keros type I was higher in females and Keros Type II in males. The ORCPD, DOF and LLL values were found to be higher in 13-16 years age group and WOF and LLCPA in 4-6 years age group. The prevalence of Keros type II was higher in the 13-16 age group, and Keros type I was higher in other age groups. LLCPA type A was the most frequent in all age groups and in both sexes. There was a positive correlation between age and ORCPD, DOF, LLL, and a negative correlation with ORFED, WOF, LLCPA. Olfactory fossa width and depth had a negative correlation. LLCPA had a positive correlation with WOF and a negative correlation with DOF. There was a positive correlation between LLCPA and LLL. DOF and LLL had a positive correlation too.

CONCLUSIONS

Paranasal sinus CT provides useful information about frontal skull base anatomic relations before sinus surgery in pediatric cases.

Ambiguous "olfactory" terms for anatomic spaces adjacent to the cribriform plate: A publication database analysis and quest for uniformity

A precise nomenclature and terminology is the foundation of communication in Anatomy and related biomedical sciences. The olfactory bulbs and nerves lie above and below the cribriform plate (CP), respectively. Hence, many anatomical landmarks in this region have names adopting the term "olfactory" as qualifiers. Ambiguous use of these "olfactory" terms exists, with some potential repercussions on patient treatments. We performed a publication database analysis to determine the frequency of misuse of names for seven anatomical "olfactory" spaces close to the CP and nasal cavity. We searched PubMed® publications having the keyword "olfactory" in their title or abstract, plus one of seven other keywords: "groove", "fossa", "recess", "cleft", "vestibule", "sulcus", and "cistern". We reviewed all abstracts for accuracy of these terms relative to accepted norms or customary definitions. By February 2020, we found all these keywords in 1255 articles. For the terms olfactory "groove" and "fossa", the number of relevant articles (and percentage of those inaccurately using these terms) were 374 (1.1%), and 49 (8.2%), respectively. All 52 abstracts containing "olfactory" and "vestibule" were irrelevant, relating to the "nasal vestibule" and olfactory function, instead of "olfactory vestibule". Overall, terms used to describe "olfactory" spaces near the CP are seldom ambiguous or inaccurate, but the terms olfactory "groove" and "fossa" are occasionally misused, We propose several new "olfactory" terms for inclusion in the Terminologia Anatomica, and stress the need for uniform nomenclature leading to greater consistency and accuracy in clinical use of anatomical terms containing the word "olfactory" as a descriptor.

Comparison of Olfactory Cleft Width and Volumes in Patients with COVID-19 Anosmia and COVID-19 Cases Without Anosmia

Introduction

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between olfactory cleft width/volume and COVID-19-related anosmia.

Methods

This study consisted of PCR-proven COVID-19 patients. Cases with COVID-19-related anosmia constituted Group 1 and cases without any olfactory dysfunction (OD) throughout COVID-19 infection or after recovery constituted Group 2. A total of 50 patients were included in the study, comprising 24 cases in Group 1 and 26 cases in Group 2. Group 1 patients underwent a 4-item-odor identification test during active symptoms and a Sniffin' Sticks test after reconversion of PCR results to negative. All patients in Group 2 also underwent the Sniffin' Stick test to document normosmia. All cases had paranasal sinus CT performed. Olfactory cleft widths and olfactory volumes were measured. The differences in width and volume between groups and the correlation with odor test scores (threshold-discrimination-identification [TDI]) were calculated. In addition, regression analyzes analysis was performed for cleft widths, volumes, and TDI scores according to age.

Results

Olfactory cleft widths and olfactory volumes were significantly higher in Group 1 than those in Group 2 (p = 0.001; p < 0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between total TDI scores and olfactory cleft widths and total olfactory volumes (r = −0.665; r = −0.731, respectively). Patients younger than 40 years of age had significantly higher right olfactory cleft width, left olfactory cleft width, and olfactory cleft volume than those in patients older than 40 years of age (p = 0.004, p = 0.005, p = 0.003; p < 0,01, respectively). However, patients younger than 40 years of age had a significantly lower total TDI score and in all other values individually (t-d-i) than those in patients older than 40 years of age (p = 0.004; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Patients with COVID-19-related OD had larger olfactory cleft width and volumes than those without OD in this study. Total TDI score was found to be inversely correlated with cleft width and volume.

Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography in the Evaluation of the Olfactory Cleft and Ethmoidal Cells

ABSTRACT

No study has examined whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone can be used for evaluating olfactory cleft and ethmoidal sinus in patients with olfactory disorders. Therefore, we analyzed the discrepancies between computed tomography (CT) and MRI in the imaging of the olfactory cleft and ethmoidal sinus. Patients who underwent CT and MRI within 30 days were evaluated. Age, sex, diagnosis, presence of bronchial asthma (BA), peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, and CT and MRI findings were retrospectively reviewed, and the sinuses were assessed on a scale of 0 to 3. Overall, 146 patients with 292 sinuses were enrolled. The ethmoid sinus score and the olfactory cleft score had 77.1% and 72.6% image similarity in CT and MRI. Sex and BA status were not associated with olfactory cleft score discrepancies (sex: P = 0.52, BA: P = 0.41). Magnetic resonance imaging scores tended to be rated higher than the CT scores as age increased, although this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09). The higher the peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, the more the magnitude by which the CT score tended to exceed the MRI score; however, this finding was also not statistically significant (P = 0.11). Magnetic resonance imaging scans should be limited to the evaluation of intracranial regions. Scans of olfactory cleft and ethmoid cells are not accurate for the assessment of olfactory dysfunction.

Olfactory Cleft Measurements and COVID-19-Related Anosmia

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the differences in olfactory cleft (OC) morphology in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) anosmia compared to control subjects and postviral anosmia related to infection other than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Study Design

Prospective.

Setting

This study comprises 91 cases, including 24 cases with anosmia due to SARS-CoV-2, 38 patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD) due to viral infection other than SARS-CoV-2, and a control group of 29 normosmic cases.

Methods

All cases had paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT), and cases with OD had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dedicated to the olfactory nerve. The OC width and volumes were measured on CT, and T2-weighted signal intensity (SI), olfactory bulb volumes, and olfactory sulcus depths were assessed on MRI.

Results

This study showed 3 major findings: the right and left OC widths were significantly wider in anosmic patients due to SARS-CoV-2 (group 1) or OD due to non–SARS-CoV-2 viral infection (group 2) when compared to healthy controls. OC volumes were significantly higher in group 1 or 2 than in healthy controls, and T2 SI of OC area was higher in groups 1 and 2 than in healthy controls. There was no significant difference in olfactory bulb volumes and olfactory sulcus depths on MRI among groups 1 and 2.

Conclusion

In this study, patients with COVID-19 anosmia had higher OC widths and volumes compared to control subjects. In addition, there was higher T2 SI of the olfactory bulb in COVID-19 anosmia compared to control subjects, suggesting underlying inflammatory changes. There was a significant negative correlation between these morphological findings and threshold discrimination identification scores.

Level of Evidence

Level 4.

Olfactory Cleft Width and Volume: Possible Risk Factors for Postinfectious Olfactory Dysfunction

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Upper respiratory tract infections are a common cause of temporary and permanent olfactory dysfunction in the general population. Postviral or postinfectious olfactory loss (PIOL) develops only in rare cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomical features of olfactory cleft (OC) in patients with PIOL to shed light on possible predisposing factors for PIOL.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) scan results of patients diagnosed with PIOL. A control group consisted of normosmic individuals who underwent paranasal sinus CT scans before septoplasty surgery. We compared the olfactory fossa depth, OC width, and volume on the CT scans of the PIOL and control groups.

RESULTS

In total, 71 individuals fulfilled the study criteria (PIOL group, n = 32; control group, n = 39). There was no statistically significant difference in the olfactory fossa depth in the two groups. The OC width and volume in the PIOL group was found to be significantly increased than that in the control group (P < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PIOL had increased OC width and volume than the healthy controls. An extra-wide olfactory cleft may be a predisposing factor in the pathogenesis of PIOL.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:5-9, 2021.