The Basilar Artery on Computed Tomography Angiography (BATMAN) score can be used to evaluate a patient for basilar artery occlusion. The authors are from Royal Melbourne University, University Tor Vergata (Rome), and the University of Newcastle (Australia).
Analysis: CT angiography
Goal: detect thrombus or other occlusion and to identify the presence of collaterals
Parameters:
(1) left and right posterior communicating arteries (Pcom)
(2) left and right vertebral arteries
(3) proximal segment of the basilar artery
(4) middle segment of the basilar artery (between the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and the superior cerebellar artery)
(5) distal segment of the basilar artery (between the superior cerebellar artery and the bifurcation into the posterior cerebral artery)
(6) left and right posterior cerebral artery, P1 segment (prior to Pcom)
|
Artery
|
Finding
|
Points
|
|
left and right vertebral arteries
|
one or both patent
|
1
|
|
|
neither patent
|
0
|
|
proximal basilar artery
|
patent
|
1
|
|
|
not patent
|
0
|
|
middle basilar artery
|
patent
|
1
|
|
|
not patent
|
0
|
|
distal basilar artery
|
patent
|
1
|
|
|
not patent
|
0
|
|
left posterior cerebral artery
|
patent
|
1
|
|
|
not patent
|
0
|
|
right posterior cerebral artery
|
patent
|
1
|
|
|
not patent
|
0
|
|
left posterior communicating artery
|
patent
|
2
|
|
|
hypoplastic (< 1 mm)
|
1
|
|
|
nonpatent
|
0
|
|
right posterior communicating artery
|
patent
|
2
|
|
|
hypoplastic (< 1 mm)
|
1
|
|
|
nonpatent
|
0
|
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the arteries)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 10
• A BATMAN score < 7 was associated with poor outcome and was not associated with recanalization after an endovascular procedure.
Performance:
• The area under the ROC curve was 0.81.
