Introduction

Although over 30 years have passed since the introduction of endoscopic sinus surgery, the field of rhinology continues to grow at a rapid pace. As a rapidly evolving subspecialty of otolaryngology, the field of rhinology offers broad avenues for research exploration, as evidenced by the wide range of subjects addressed in this special rhinology-focused issue of the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. The high prevalence of sinonasal disorders is highlighted by a population-based study of olfaction by Noel et al that demonstrates variations in the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction according to socioeconomic status, race and age. Although our understanding of the mechanisms of olfactory loss may be limited, the recognition of how broadly our population is affected by olfactory disorders should heighten the urgency for new initiatives in basic, clinical and translational research in olfaction. Diagnostic conundrums in rhinology continue to challenge clinicians. The lack of correlation between subjective and objective measures in rhinosinusitis is one such paradox, reaffirmed by a prospective study by Rathor and Bhattacharjee. In their prospective study, they demonstrated poor correlations between CT scores, endoscopy scores, and patient-reported outcome measures. Rathor’s study raises important questions regarding the relative merits of subjective versus objective parameters in the clinical evaluation of patients with possible rhinosinusitis. Paknezhad et al present a diagnostic dilemma of a different sort; they describe an unusual pair of cases in which patients presented with a partially invasive form of fungal sinusitis that spared intravascular spaces. Cases such as these challenge us to reconsider the normative criteria for