Imaging and heart failure: myocardial strain

Purpose of review To summarize literature on the application of myocardial strain in patients with heart failure published since 2018. Recent findings Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular strain provides important prognostic information in patients with acute and chronic heart failure and new insights in disease mechanisms in amyloidosis. The addition of left atrial strain to current societal diastolic dysfunction criteria may improve detection of clinically relevant diastolic dysfunction. The recently developed method for noninvasive estimation of myocardial work incorporates loading conditions into the evaluation of LV performance that may be important for selection of patients for cardiac resynchronization therapy. Evidence linking myocardial strain to adverse outcomes in heart failure is steadily being developed. Although GLS seems to be ready for clinical use, further validation and standardization of RV, LA strain and myocardial work is needed.