A fifth of all transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) and ischaemic strokes are in the territory of the posterior circulation, and the clinical manifestations can be different according to the vascular distribution, dizziness is the most common symptom, while more than 50% of patients with vertebral basilar artery infarction present with TIA symptoms in a few days or weeks before. These symptoms may assist in early identiifcation of posterior circulation stroke (PCS). The recurrence rate of PCS is higher than anterior circulation, especially when with vertebral-basilar artery stenosis. The extent of vascular lesions can be measured by computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or other examinations. In addition, after the full establishment of collateral circulation cycle to severe stenosis or occlusion the neurological deifcits could be mild, and the prognosis is better.%后循环缺血性卒中（posterior circulation stroke，PCS）/短暂性脑缺血发作（transient ischemic attack，TIA）占全部卒中及TIA的1/5，其临床表现按血管分布可呈现不同的症状，以头晕最常见。50%以上椎-基底动脉梗死患者在几天或几周前会出现TIA症状，这些先兆症状可辅助早期识别PCS。PCS的复发率高于前循环，尤其是伴椎-基底动脉狭窄的患者，可通过完善计算机断层扫描血管成像（computed tomography angiography，CTA）、磁共振血管成像（magnetic resonance angiography，MRA）等辅助检查明确血管狭窄程度。另外，对侧支循环建立充分的后循环重度狭窄或闭塞，其神经功能缺损程度较轻，且预后更好。
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