Optical rhinometry - new challenges and possibilities of rhinitis diagnostics and not only.

Optical rhinometry is the only diagnostic tool in rhinitis for assessing real-time changes in nasal occlusion. It illustrates lumen changes of nasal mucosa vessels in response nonspecific/specific factors and not only. The first attempts to standardize the method conducted by German researchers show the potential of optical rhinometry not only as regards challenge tests, but also vice versa, in respect of the anemization of the mucosa it evaluates the extent of the oedema which occurred in the pathomechanism of non-allergic rhinitis. The relatively small number of publications in the domain of interest demonstrates there is a need to conduct further research on the suitability of the above-mentioned technique for the evaluation of nasal patency in the field of rhinological diagnostics.