[New techniques for the quantification of myocardial function: acoustic quantification, color kinesis, tissue Doppler and "strain rate imaging"].

In this article, the authors discuss different semi-quantitative methods for the analysis of global and regional myocardial function. Analysis of endocardial motion and direct measurements of myocardial velocities are the basic principles. The former is a two-dimensional technique which, however, requires good image quality and which is influenced by motion artefacts. The latter technique has a better signal to noise ratio and offers the opportunity to sufficiently quantify diastole. Strain rate imaging is a new and interesting way to display and evaluate regional myocardial deformation.