Echocardiographic strain imaging and its use in the clinical setting.

The use of echocardiography has grown tremendously over the past several years. It is used routinely for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring changes of cardiac function in coronary artery disease, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmias, pericardial disease and valvular disease, as well as congenital conditions. In recent years, the advancing technology used to evaluate the heart by ultrasound has allowed physicians to understand the mechanics of the heart muscle and the contribution of abnormalities in myocardial movement to heart disease. This review will discuss novel echocardiographic strain imaging techniques, placing them in the context of myocardial mechanics and describing current and future applications.