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Vertebral column Arteries of the brain

Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders

Alternative Names: Vertebrobasilar insufficiency; Posterior circulation ischemia. Symptoms: Loss of vision, particularly affecting same part of the visual field on both eyes Double vision Vertigo (sensation of things spinning around) Numbness or tingling Nausea and vomiting Difficulty swallowing Problems with balance Poor coordination Headache Neckache Loss of hearing Slurred speech Signs and tests: Tests will be ordered based on what the underlying cause is likely to be. These may include: Imaging of the brain, especially CT scans and MRI Imaging of the blood vessels including MRI angiography (MRA) or ultrasound Computed tomography angiography (CTA), another type of blood vessel imaging Imaging of the heart (echocardiogram) Conventional angiogram (x-rays of the arteries using injected dye) Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) -- rarely needed Blood tests Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Holter monitor (a prolonged ECG to look for abnormal heart rhythms) X-rays Transcranial doppler (ultrasound of the blood vessels of the skull) Text Continues Below Occasionally, special coagulation tests are requested when the diagnosis is unclear, to see if the patient has an abnormal tendency to form clots.

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