TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL MEDICINE - Georgian Medical Journal

Strain rate imaging (SRI) is an advanced echocardiographic technique used to assess myocardial deformation and provides quantitative information about myocardial contractility and mechanics. This review summarizes the clinical utility of strain rate imaging in detecting subtle myocardial dysfunction across various cardiac diseases, including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, valvular disease, cardiomyopathies, and cardiotoxicity monitoring. The advantages of strain rate over conventional echocardiographic parameters and technological advancements in speckle-tracking echocardiography are highlighted. Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) is a measure of myocardial deformation or strain, reflecting the contractile function of the heart muscle. It is calculated from speckle-tracking echocardiography, a non-invasive technique that tracks the movement of ultrasound speckles within the myocardium. Myocardial strain and strain-rate imaging provide sensitive, quantitative markers of cardiac function that can detect subclinical dysfunction earlier than conventional echocardiography. Despite some limitations, SRI holds significant promise for improving diagnostic accuracy and patient management in clinical cardiology.

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