[Diagnosis by new echocardiographic techniques].
Echocardiography has been very powerful for not only evaluating hemodynamics and cardiac function but also finding causes of heart failure. Moreover, recent advancements in echocardiography enable us to assess patients with heart failure more conveniently and precisely. The quality of 2-dimensional echocardiographic images is dramatically improved by introduction of harmonic imaging method and intravenous contrast agents which opacify the left ventricular cavity. Tissue Doppler echocardiography can provide information on regional myocardial velocity thereby enabling assessment of regional as well as global left ventricular function. Strain and strain rate of the regional myocardium can be also determined by the newest technology based on tissue Doppler echocardiography.
Nakatani
Satoshi
S
Division of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Center.
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction