SLOW BLOOD-FLOW OF THE VERTEBROBASILAR SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO

We evaluated 102 patients with dizziness or vertigo who were 50 years of age and over, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Slow blood fl ow (SBF) in the vertebrobasilar system was detected in 36 patients (35 %). The patients with SBF experienced dizziness or vertigo for a longe r period than those without SBF. The apogeotrophic type of direction-c hanging nystagmus was observed in 10 of 36 patients with SBF. No signi ficant differences were found between patients with and without SBF wi th other neurotological tests. Because MRI can detect both infarcts in the hind-brain and SBF in the vetebral and basilar arteries it is rec ommended for evaluation of vascular disorders in older patients with v estibular symptoms.