Thirty-eight women with Takayasu arteritis were studied using thallium-201 stress myocardial scintigraphy to assess the prevalence and pathophysiology of the perfusion abnormality. Twenty (53%) had abnormal scintigraphic findings (group A). Abnormal scans were divided into 3 groups: permanent defects in 6, reversible defects in 7 and slow washout in 7. The remaining 18 patients had normal scintigrams (group N). Group A had a tendency to be older and to have a high prevalence of complicated significant aortic regurgitation. Interventricular thickness plus left ventricular posterior wall thickness (26 +/- 7 vs 17 +/- 2 mm, p less than 0.01) and left ventricular mass (267 +/- 121 vs 133 +/- 39 g, p less than 0.01) were all greater in group A on echocardiography. The mean value of the central aortic pressure in systole was 170 +/- 15 mm Hg in the 7 catheterized patients in group A. Coronary ostial stenoses were present in 2 group A patients who showed reversible defects on scintigrams. These data indicate that the abnormal perfusion detected by imaging in patients with Takayasu arteritis was responsible for a decrease in coronary reserve or myocardial damage, or both, due to long-standing systemic hypertension or aortic regurgitation. Coronary artery disease should be considered if a reversible defect is present.