Is Speckle Tracking Imaging Ready for Prime Time in Current Echo Clinical Practice?

Accurate assessment of left and right ventricular systolic function plays a fundamental role in the prognostication and management of patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. Traditional echocardiographic parameters, including left ventricular ejection fraction, may lack the sensitivity to detect subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The advent of speckle tracking echocardiography for left and right ventricular systolic function assessment provides a further tool in this evaluation. Speckle tracking echocardiography has been demonstrated to provide incremental prognostic value beyond traditional echocardiographic parameters. This review discusses the clinical application of speckle tracking echocardiography in the evaluation of cardiovascular disease and its implementation within the clinical echocardiography laboratory.