Smell loss as initial symptom of olfactory groove meningioma

Abstract

Approximately 20% of the general population suffer from olfactory dysfunction (OD). Until today, olfactory function (OF) receives less attention than other human senses despite its significance for quality of life. The main causes of OD are upper respiratory tract infections, traumatic brain injuries and sinonasal diseases. Here, we report the case of a 28-year-old woman, who started to suffer from OD during pregnancy. Smell loss was attributed to pregnancy-induced rhinitis and initiated no further examinations. Nevertheless, OD persisted post partum and undulating headache occurred 1 year later. Only after visual impairment and one more year passing by, diagnosis of olfactory groove meningioma was made using MRI. With this case report, we want to highlight the importance of the symptom of smell loss. Patients reporting OD should undergo thorough anamnesis, endoscopy of the nasal cavity, psychophysical smell testing and radiographic imaging in unclear cases to determine diagnosis.

Keywords: ear; medical management; neuroimaging; neurosurgery; nose and throat/otolaryngology.