Tissue Doppler strain-mapping in the assessment of the extent of chronic myocardial infarction: validation using magnetic resonance imaging.

Aims: The distribution of myocardial strain values can be visualized by colour-coded strain images. We examined for the first time if this strain-mapping function can be used to study the extent of prior myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with delayed contrast enhancement were performed in 26 patients with chronic myocardial infarction.