Dipyridamole thallium imaging in patients being considered for vascular procedures.

We routinely performed intravenous dipyridamole thallium imaging and resting radionuclide ventriculography on 190 patients being considered for elective vascular procedures. Patients with thallium redistribution underwent coronary arteriography. Patients in group 1 (n = 78) had clinical evidence of coronary artery disease, and patients in group 2 (n = 112) had no history or electrocardiographic evidence of coronary artery disease. The frequency of thallium redistribution was not significantly different in the two groups (45% in group 1 and 46% in group 2). Coronary arteriography identified severe three-vessel or left main disease in eight patients (10%) in group 1 and 16 patients (14%) in group 2. Selection of patients for dipyridamole thallium imaging prior to vascular reconstruction should be based on whether or not documentation of the extent of coronary artery disease would influence therapy rather than on clinical indicators of coronary disease.