Different patterns of multiple acute infarctions and long-term prognosis in minor posterior circulation stroke

•Multiple acute infarctions (MAIs) may have different predictive effect on prognosis between the anterior and posterior circulation.•The patterns of MAIs in posterior circulation stroke (PCS) could be further classified into multiple infarcts or single infarct, multilevel infarcts or single level infarct, and multiterritorial infarcts or single territorial infarct according to the number, level, and vascular territory of the infarcts.•Different patterns of MAIs provide different predictive performances for PCS prognosis. It is imperative to perform more detailed image interpretation of MAIs in patients with PCS.