Right ventricle: The unforgettable chamber
For many years, the right ventricle received less attention than the
left ventricle and was relegated to a Cinderella status. Human folly, as
always have been, short lived, fortunately, and now we know that a
modernist approach to improve quality of life (6-mimue walk test) and
well-being of the RV (improved TAPSE) is at our disposal, as shown by
the Triluminate trial 12. Although the investigators
have used TAPSE in the trial, it is possible to simultaneously compute
TAPSE, RV strain and fractional area change (FAC%) at one go, using 2D
strain in real time, providing a more comprehensive picture of RV
systolic function. (Fig 7).
To conclude, the painstakingly written review 3published simultaneously in this issue of the journal, the authors
focused on the mechanistic, computational, and clinical aspects of
speckle tracking strain imaging of the left ventricle. This document may
stand out as a stand-alone reference guide for the application of strain
in a wide variety of cardiac illnesses by novice and expert sonographers
and cardiologists alike. Non only that, the review could be useful for
the ultrasound physicists and engineers for future advancements in
AI-powered strain imaging technologies, eventually contributing to
improved diagnosis, prognosis, and management of various cardiac
conditions. With that goal, it is time that we had an ultrafast,
AI-driven full-proof tool for quantifying cardiac quadri-chamber
mechanical function that can “revolutionize” cardiology13 in a similar fashion as did Einstein´s E=
mc.2 Given the superior spatial and temporal
resolution of the modern stain software, this is no longer a distant
dream, unlike in the cases of celestial bodies.