FUTURE DIRECTIONS

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Ongoing developments in 3D echocardiography

include technological innovations and expanding

clinical applications. Automated surface extraction

and quantification, single-heartbeat full-volume

acquisition, transesophageal RT3D imaging,

the ability to navigate within the 3D volume, and

stereoscopic visualization of 3D images are some

of the technological advances that can be expected

over the next several years. These will

further enhance the quality and clinical applications

of 3D echocardiography. In addition, standardized

and focused 3D protocols will be developed

and refined to optimize clinical application

of this technique.

Tagging and/or tracking the LV surface in real

time may provide new approaches to quantifying

myocardial mechanics, such as regional shape and

strain. This approach has great potential and will

complement and likely compare favorably with

the quantitative ability of cardiac MRI. The superior

temporal resolution of echocardiography

should offer unique advantages for this purpose.

In the future, combining the greater temporal

resolution of 3D echocardiography with the excellent

spatial resolution of MRI (or computed

tomography) may yield an imaging data set with

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Ongoing developments in 3D echocardiography

include technological innovations and expanding

clinical applications. Automated surface extraction

and quantification, single-heartbeat full-volume

acquisition, transesophageal RT3D imaging,

the ability to navigate within the 3D volume, and

stereoscopic visualization of 3D images are some

of the technological advances that can be expected

over the next several years. These will

further enhance the quality and clinical applications

of 3D echocardiography. In addition, standardized

and focused 3D protocols will be developed

and refined to optimize clinical application

of this technique.

Tagging and/or tracking the LV surface in real

time may provide new approaches to quantifying

myocardial mechanics, such as regional shape and

strain. This approach has great potential and will

complement and likely compare favorably with

the quantitative ability of cardiac MRI. The superior

temporal resolution of echocardiography

should offer unique advantages for this purpose.

In the future, combining the greater temporal

resolution of 3D echocardiography with the excellent

spatial resolution of MRI (or computed

tomography) may yield an imaging data set with