Kr-81m ventilation and Tc-99m perfusion images of 392 patients were examined retrospectively for the incidence and etiology of the reverse mismatch defect, which is characterized by a region of lung where the perfusion defect exceeds the ventilation defect. Forty-six patients (11.7%) showed such defects. The most frequent causes were pneumonia (15%), atelactasis (15%), pleural effusions (15%), chronic obstructive airway disease (24%), and bronchial obstruction (31%). The significance of the reverse mismatch defect is discussed.