Olfaction - Quantification and management

Patients with olfactory disorders are often referred to the otolaryngologist for assessment and treatment. Karely, however, is the otolaryngologist prepared to provide such services. In a previous paper in this journal, we described the basic anatomy and physiology of the olfactory system. Additionally, we listed a standardized nomenclature for classifying olfactory disturbances, and reviewed means for clinically assessing such disorders. In this paper, we provide a more detailed protocol for evaluating patients with loss of smell, incorporating sensory, imaging, and medical approaches employed at the Smell and laste Center of the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Examples of common syndromes encountered in everyday practice are deicribed.