Assessment of Cardiac Function by Echocardiography

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is crucial for evaluating cardiac function in clinical cardiology.
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a traditional but limited marker of cardiac function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review various TTE-based techniques for assessing systolic cardiac function.
• To highlight parameters beyond LVEF for a comprehensive understanding of heart function.

Main Methods:

• Survey of existing TTE techniques.
• Inclusion of 2D and 3D morphologic parameters.
• Inclusion of functional parameters like wall strain and myocardial performance index.

Main Results:

• TTE provides a wide array of parameters for cardiac function assessment.
• Beyond LVEF, numerous echocardiographic markers enhance understanding of systolic function.
• Techniques cover both left and right ventricular function.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive assessment of cardiac function requires utilizing multiple TTE parameters.
• Advanced TTE techniques offer deeper insights into myocardial performance.
• TTE remains a versatile tool for evaluating global and regional cardiac function.