Objective To assess the clinical features,diagnosis,therapy and the prognosis of vertebral artery dissection presented as ischemie cerebral vascular disease.Methods Clinical and routine laboratory examinations were performed in all the 6 patients,who underwent brain DSA,MRI,MRA and cervical vascular duplex ultrasound examinations.They fulfilled at least 1 of 2 imaging criteria used to diagnose vertebral dissection.Results There was sudden neck pain or occipital headache in 4 of the 6 eases.Vertigo and (or) dizziness were the main onset symptoms for all the subjects.Two cases presented Wallenberg syndrome; Three had recent trauma to the neck.DSA showed occlusion or stenosis of the vertebral artery.MRI showed an crescent-shaped intramural hematoma.Cervical vascular duplex ultrasound revealed normal intima-media thickness and no carotid atheroscleretic plaque,and displayed significant stenosis or occlusion of the involved vertebral artery.The dissections were found in the extracranial segment of the vertebral artery in 5 cases.The follow up period for all patients was approximately 26 months.The anticoagulant therapy was administered to all subjects for a period ranging from 9 to 53 months.The modified Rankin Scale (mRS)improved significantly as compared to baselines in all except for one ease,the mRS were4,4,4,2,2,2 vs 4,3,2,1,0,1 (Z=-2.07,P=0.038).Conclusions Vertebral artery dissection has unique clinical features.Neuroimnging is useful in confirming the diagnosis.The occlusive lesion of the involved vertebral artery is reversible under long-term anticoagulant treatment.The prognosis is relatively positive.