Imaging Techniques for Cardiac Function

Abstract

Cardiac imaging techniques include a variety of distinct applications with which we can visualize cardiac function non-invasively. Through different applications of physical entities such as sound waves, X-rays, magnetic fields, and nuclear energy, along with highly sophisticated computer hardware and software, it is now possible to reconstruct the dynamic aspect of cardiac function in many forms, from static images to high-definition videos and real-time three-dimensional projections. In this review, we will describe the fundamental principles of the most widely used techniques and, more specifically, which imaging modality and on what occasion we should use them in order to analyze different aspects of cardiac function.

Keywords

• cardiac imaging
• echocardiography
• TTE
• TEE
• CMR
• nuclear scintigraphy