Role of the deformation imaging in the evaluation of patients with cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases recognized by specific patterns of myocardial morphology and function. Myocardial deformation imaging, using strain and strain rate as main parameters, is a novel echocardiographic method for the evaluation of global and regional myocardial function. Speckle tracking imaging is currently the best technique for the evaluation of myocardial deformation in the longitudinal, radial, and circumferential axis. The aim of the following review was to analyze the potential role of the deformation imaging in the evaluation of cardiomyopathies, focusing on the recent developments regarding the differential and early diagnosis as well as the prognosis of the disease.