Quantification of myocardial functional reserve by off-line analysis of colour tissue Doppler acquired during dobutamine stress is feasible and reproducible in 11 segments of the left ventricle. The most reliable measurements are systolic velocities of longitudinal motion in basal segments.

Abstract. Sarkar N, Ru È ck A, Ka Èllner G, Y-Hassan S, Blomberg P, Islam KB, van der Linden J, Lindblom D, Nygren AT, Lind B, Brodin L-A Ê , Drvota V, Sylve Ân C

Background: The appropriate evaluation of atrial electrical function is only possible by means of invasive electrophysiology techniques, which are expensive and therefore not suitable for widespread use. Mechanical atrial function is mainly determined from atrial volumes and volume-derived indices that are load-dependent, time-consuming and difficult to reproduce because they are observer-dependent.