CT imaging features of olfactory cleft in patients with persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection
Objective To observe the imaging features in olfactory cleft on sinus CT images among patients with persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection to explore the practical value of olfactory cleft opacity scoring to evaluate the status of olfactory function among this kind of patients.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted among 30 patients with persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection,diagnosed in the Clinic of Smell and Taste Disorders of China-Japan Friendship Hospital during the period of Jan.2023 to Jul.2023.Their olfactory function was evaluated by use of the scores of visual analogue scaling(VAS)and T&T smell test scores,including both of olfactory detection threshold and recognition threshold.All the patients underwent thin slice CT scanning of sinuses,with the maximums of length,width and height of the olfactory cleft measured accurately on CT images and a newly established scoring method used to evaluated the opacity of olfactory cleft on the images.Then,a correlating analysis was made on the association of opacity score in olfactory cleft with the determined values from olfactory function tests.Results As shown on the CT images,90%cases with persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection showed various degrees of opacity in olfactory cleft.As the results of correlating analysis,there was no marked significance in the difference of VAS score with the detection threshold of T&T smell test(P>0.05),while the width of olfactory cleft showed a positive correlation with olfactory VAS score(r=0.370,P=0.044),and T&T olfactory perception threshold held positive correlations with the length and width as well as the total score of opacity in olfactory cleft as evaluated by ratios of scores on CT images(r=0.398,0.376,0.377,P=0.029,0.041,0.040)as well,with obviously statistical significance(P<0.05).Conclusion The results suggested that olfactory cleft inflammation might be the most important one of the associated pathological factors with persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection.Furthermore,scoring method of CT ratio on the opacity of olfactory cleft can be used as an imaging index for the evaluation of olfactory function in such patients.
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