Strain Imaging in Heart Failure

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Subclinical myocardial dysfunction is a key indicator across heart failure spectrum, cardiomyopathies, and cardio-oncology.
• Traditional measures like ejection fraction have limitations in detecting early cardiac changes.
• Strain imaging offers a noninvasive method to quantify myocardial deformation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the role of strain imaging in diagnosing and managing cardiovascular conditions.
• To compare echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in strain assessment.
• To discuss the future potential of advanced CMR techniques, including AI, in strain imaging.

Main Methods:

• Strain imaging is performed using echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).
• Myocardial deformation is quantified to assess cardiac function.
• Data from various cardiomyopathies and cardio-oncology settings are considered.

Main Results:

• Strain imaging enhances diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring.
• It provides insights beyond traditional ejection fraction measurements.
• Echocardiography is currently the most accessible modality for strain assessment.

Conclusions:

• Strain imaging is crucial for detecting subclinical myocardial dysfunction.
• Advances in CMR, including AI, are expected to improve standardization and clinical integration.
• Strain imaging holds significant promise for the management of heart failure and cardiovascular care.