Deformation (meteorology)

Speckle pattern

Biomedical engineering

Materials science

Tracking (education)

Pedagogy

Cardiology

Computer science

Strain (injury)

Heart failure

Psychology

Speckle tracking echocardiography

Modalities

Internal medicine

Sociology

Artificial intelligence

Composite material

Cardiac imaging

Medicine

Ejection fraction

Disease

Social science

JACC. Cardiovascular imaging

Advances in speckle-tracking echocardiography allowed the rise of deformation imaging as a feasible, robust, and valuable tool for clinical routine. The global or segmental measurement of strain can objectively quantify myocardial deformation and can characterize myocardial function in a novel way. However, the proper interpretation of deformation measurements requires understanding of cardiac mechanics and the influence of loading conditions, ventricular geometry, conduction delays, and myocardial tissue characteristics on the measured values. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the basic concepts of deformation imaging, briefly describe imaging modalities for strain assessment, and discuss in depth the underlying physical and pathophysiological mechanisms which lead to the respective findings in a specific disease.

2- and 3-Dimensional Myocardial Strain in Cardiac Health and Disease