Figure 5.

LA strain imaging from the LA-focussed apical windows. The zero-reference point should be marked as mitral valve opening, which usually corresponds to the onset of the QRS on the ECG. A typical time–deformation curve is displayed in (A), with the coloured traces representing the six individual segments of the LA, and the dotted white trace the average value (or global strain). Reservoir, conduit and contractile strain are annotated in image (B). This process should be repeated from both the four- and two-chamber windows and the average values reported.