[Basi-parallel anatomical scanning (BPAS) MRI: a simple MRI technique for demonstrating the surface appearance of the intracranial vertebrobasilar artery].

We modified surface anatomy scanning (SAS) MRI to reveal the surface appearance of the vertebrobasilar artery in the cistern. Two-cm-thick heavily T2-weighted coronal imaging using the fast spin-echo sequence with gray-scale reversal in post-processing was best for our purposes. Basi-parallel anatomical scanning (BPAS) MRI could clearly demonstrate fusiform aneurysm and its disappearance at the acutely occluded segment of the dissected vertebral artery. This simple MRI scanning technique can provide useful information on vertebrobasilar vascular lesions especially in patients with arterial dissection.