Faculty Collaboration Database

Radiologic changes in the aging nasal cavity. Rhinology 2019 Apr 01;57(2):117-124

Date

10/24/2018

Pubmed ID

30352446

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6543530

DOI

10.4193/Rhin18.096

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85064239455 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: With an aging population, it is important to understand age-related anatomic changes in the nasal cavity and cribriform plate (CP) that may have clinical implications.

METHODOLOGY: Computed tomography (CT) scans obtained for non-rhinologic conditions were divided into a young cohort (N=35, 18-34 years old) and an older adult cohort (N=32, 80-99 years old). Intranasal airspace volumes and bony anatomy of the CP were manually segmented using OsiriX software. The CP was assessed for mean Hounsfield Units (HU) and percentage of olfactory foramina. Deformation based morphometry (DBM) was then performed on the same cohort and correlated with manual measurements.

RESULTS: Individual nasal cavity volumes increased 17-75% with age. Regression analysis of all scans revealed age to be the predominant variable influencing intranasal volume differences when controlling for sex and head size. Mean HU of the CP negatively correlated with age. No age-related differences in bone stenosis of olfactory foramina were identified. Automated DBM measurements of intranasal volumes, as well as CP and zygoma mean HU correlated with manual measurements.

CONCLUSION: Older subjects have a global increase in intranasal volumes and diffuse bone density loss in the CP. The clinical impact of age-related anatomic changes in the nasal cavity and CP requires further investigation.

Author List

Ganjaei KG, Soler ZM, Mappus ED, Worley ML, Rowan NR, Garcia GJM, Matthews LJ, Dubno JR, Eckert MA, Schlosser RJ

Author

Guilherme Garcia PhD Assistant Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Case-Control Studies
Ethmoid Bone
Female
Humans
Male
Nasal Cavity
Smell
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Young Adult