Objective To examine the impact of rotation-traction manipulation on transcranial doppler（ TCD）related indexes of patients with vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis and to explore the clinical value of TCD.Methods One hundred and ninety-five patients with vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis were randomized into a treatment group（ 96 cases） and a control group（ 99 cases）. The treatment group was given rotation-traction manipulation therapy once every other day. The control group was given traction treatment once every day. TCD test was conducted for the patients before treatment and after 2 weeks of treatment. Changes of bilateral vertebral artery and basilar artery blood flow related indexes [including systolic blood flow velocity peak（ Vp）

mean velocity（ Vm）

end diastolic velocity（ Vd） and pulsatility index（ PI） ]were examined. Results Compared with the normal group on the same side

the levels of Vp

Vm and Vd of patients’ vertebral artery bilateral

as well as the levels of Vp and Vm of basilar artery increased in both treatment and control groups before treatment（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）.Compared with the same group on the same side before treatment

the levels of Vp and PI of bilateral vertebral artery decreased

and the levels of Vp and Vm of basilar artery decreased in the treatment group after treatment（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. The level of Vp of bilateral vertebral artery decreased

and left PI level increased in the control group after treatment（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. After treatment

basilar artery Vm level in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group（ P < 0. 05）. There was no significant difference in levels of Vd and PI of basilar artery in both groups before and after treatment（ P > 0. 05）. Conclusion Rotation-traction manipulation might improve TCD indexes of patients with vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis

and then might improve the blood flow velocity of vertebral and basilar artery. TCD could be one of the effect evaluation indexes in vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis.