Incremental displacements and incremental strains of a portion of the left ventricle of the heart of an open-chest canine. Incremental displacements and incremental strains are presented in three dimensions at four moments of the cardiac cycles: during mid-diastole (A,F), during the QRS (B,G), during early systole (C,H) and during early diastole (D,I). Overlaid on the Motion-mode (M-mode), displacement and strain M-modes of the central line of the volumes were displayed (I,J) with the co-registered ECG. Letters along the wall correspond to the phases as displayed above. Positive displacement (red color) indicates a motion towards the transducer whereas negative displacement (blue color) indicates motion away from the transducer. Positive strain (red color) indicates thickening whereas negative strain (blue color) indicates thinning.