Table 2.

Image Acquisition

1.Acquire the 3 apical views (apical long axis, apical 4-chamber, and 2-chamber views) sequentially to ensure similar heart rates and frame rates.

2.Optimize gain settings and set depth to include the mitral valve leaflet insertion point at the annulus. Do not include the entire left atrium on images dedicated to LV strain.

3.Set sector width to include the LV and some of the RV to capture the entire septum as well as the epicardial border of the anterior, lateral, inferior, and posterior walls. The walls should be completely present in the imaging sector in systole and diastole.

4.Set frame rate in the range 40–90 frames/s for heart rates in the normal range.

5.Avoid foreshortening of the LV because it may overestimate the apical strain.

6.Obtain good quality ECG tracing to allow proper gating.

7.Acquire images in breath-holds to avoid any breathing artifacts.

8.Obtain good images that will allow appropriate visualization of the endocardial border.

9.Acquire a minimum of 3 cardiac cycles for each loop to assure one complete cycle is available without truncation.

10.Consider at least 2 sets of images for each view if possible, to ensure that more than a single image view option is available for analysis in case of poor tracking.

See Video 2.

ECG = electrocardiogram; LV = left ventricle; RV = right ventricle.