Olfactory dysfunction can arise from a variety of causes and can profoundly influence a patient’s quality of life. Studies have shown that olfactory dysfunction affects at least 1 % of the population under the age of 65 years, and well over 50% of the population older than 65 years. The sense of smell determines the flavor of foods and beverages and also serves as an early warning system for the detection of environmental hazards, such as spoiled food, leaking natural gas, smoke, or airborne pollutants. The losses or distortions of smell sensation can adversely influence food preference, food intake and appetite.Olfactory disorders There is a wide range of smell tests available to evaluate olfactory function.
The Smell Test can be used for the following disorders.

1. Influenza
2. Rhinitis - Sinusitis
3. Nasal polyposis
4. Trauma
5. Neurological disorders
6. Environmental toxins
7. Documentatzion before andafter rhinological surgery

The KKR ENT Hospital and Research Institute is one of first institute in India to introduce this test to evaluate various olfactory disorders and the severity of the disease.

The smell diskette test is simple and reliable. There are 8 diskettes and patient have to sniff and identify the correct smell. There are four response alternatives accompanying each odor. The patient is asked to identify (or guess) each smell. The test can be self-administrated in the waiting- room or in the patient’s home, and can be scored in less that a minute. Scores are compared to varying patient groups and compared against sex- and age-related norms.

The patient’s score is then classified into one of these categories: normosmia, mild microsmia, moderate microsmia, severe microsmia, anosmia and probable malingering. The reliability of this test is very high.