Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography: methodological aspects and clinical potential.
Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is an advanced echocardiographic technique that allows a novel approach to the assessment of cardiac physiology through the study of myocardial mechanics. In its three-dimensional (3D) modality, it overcomes the drawbacks inherent to other echocardiographic techniques, namely two-dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. Several research studies and software improvements have led 3D-STE to become a promising tool for accurate evaluation of global and regional cardiac function. This article addresses the image acquisition, analytical methods, and parameters of myocardial mechanics that could be derived from 3D-STE. This systematic guidance may help to establish its usefulness in the global and regional evaluation of cardiac function, and to facilitate its clinical application.
Cardiovascular Imaging and Hemodynamic Laboratory, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Jose A
JA
Urbano-Moral
Ayan R
AR
Patel
Martin S
MS
Maron
Jose A
JA
Arias-Godinez
Natesa G
NG
Pandian
D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans