Strain imaging - from Scandinavian research to global deployment

Abstract

Knowledge about myocardial function is important for diagnosis, treatment and prediction of the majority of all cardiac diseases. Ejection fraction (EF) by echocardiography has been the preferred diagnostic tool for these purposes, but do have some important limitations. Strain imaging has emerged as a relatively new and important echocardiographic method that will give cardiologists incremental and additional information to EF in several important diseases affecting the myocardium. This paper will give the readers a brief overview on how and when the clinicians can use strain imaging by echocardiography in their daily practice.

Keywords: Strain imaging; arrhythmias; cardiomyoapathies; ejection fraction; ischemic heart disease; myocardial function.