Abstract
Speckle tracking echocardiography has allowed us to evaluate novel cardiac functions including left ventricular torsion, longitudinal function, and dyssynchrony in addition to left ventricular ejection fraction. Commercially available 3-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography was recently introduced, and it has provided various knowledge that could not be assessed by 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. For example, novel myocardial deformation parameters, i.e., area change ratio and 3D-strain, which may be more sensitive to myocardial deformation as compared to standard strain parameters, were proposed for 3-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. In the area of clinical research, imaging for propagation of cardiac contraction has been attempted, and it may contribute to prediction of responses for cardiac resynchronization therapy, assessment of arrhythmic pathophysiology, risk stratification of life-limiting arrhythmia, and detecting myocardial ischemia. In addition, 3-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography has been applied in assessing right ventricular segmental function, and future developments are expected. In contrast, 3-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography has limitations in terms of spatio-temporal resolutions that require more complex computations compared to 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. However, improvements in spatio-temporal resolutions have been swift thanks to technological innovations. In the near future, general use of 3-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in a clinical setting is expected as well as its application in clinical research.
