Table 2.
Methods | Advantages | Limits |
Echocardiography | Non-invasive Absence of adverse effects Analysis of systolic and diastolic function Tissue velocity imaging and strain imaging useful for early detection of subclinical alteration | Inter- and intra-observer variability Low sensitivity of EF assessment for early diagnosis |
Magnetic resonance imaging | Accurate heart anatomic description Absence of radiation exposure Accurate and reproducible EF assessment Cardiac innervation assessment | Limited availability High costs Not applicable in patients with metallic device Low information about its role in the early detection |
Multiple-gated acquisition scintigraphy | High sensitivity and specificity EF assessment No inter- and intra-observer variability | Low sensitivity of EF for early diagnosis Less information about diastolic function Radiation exposure |
Positron emission tomography | Myocardial metabolic and perfusion evaluation | Limited availability |
EF: Ejection fraction.