Objective To study the clinical and neuroimaging features of top of the basilar artery syndrome(TOBS).Methods The clinical and neuroimaging features of 63 cases with TOBS were analyzed retrospectively.Results Main causes of TOBS were atherosclerosis and embolisms.Vertigo and disturbance of consciousness and movement of the eye-ball,abnormality of pupils,partial blindness were the main clinical features.The most important imageologic feature of TOBS was infarction of thalami or midbrain,which was frequently complicating with infarction in other locations.Conclusion TOBS has simultaneously more than two infarction lesions,either superior or inferior tentorium of cerebellum with many complications and poor prognosis.MRI is more sensitive than CT.Early MRI examination,systemic and comprehansive treatment may improve the prognosis of the TOBS patients.

Objective:To evaluate the usefulness of fast FLAIR pulse sequence in the MRI of intraspinal canal disease.Methods:Forty-four patients with suspected intraspinal canal disease were imaged with fast FLAIR pulse sequence after routine T1 and T2 weighted imaging in a 0.5 T superconducting MR scaner.The parameters of FLAIR were TR/TI/TE=6000/1500～2000/90～120 ms.Results:There were 26 intraspinal extramedullary tumors,4 intramedullary tumors,11 myelitis,3 localized ischemic necrosis or malacia of spinal cord.The images of FLAIR pulse sequence clearly detected all lesions of the 44 cases.They were superior to routine T2 weighted images in demonstrating the extent of the lesions and their T2 signal character,expecially in inflammatory disease of spinal cord.Conclusion:FLARI is a very useful pulse sequence in the MRI of intraspinal canal disease,it may be use as an important supplement of routine T2 weighted sequence.