New advances in cardiac imaging allow a more comprehensive assessment of myocardial performance in children, which could not be obtained previously with conventional imaging. Myocardial deformation imaging is a novel quantitative echocardiographic method for assessing global and regional myocardial function. Furthermore, it could be beneficial to detect early ventricular dysfunction, especially where conventional methods are unreliable. Namely, the new method does not rely on geometric assumptions and can quantify regional as well as global ventricular function. In the past, echocardiographic strain imaging has been used mainly as a research tool in interrogating early subclinical impairment of the systemic left ventricle. Due to the possibility of widespread use in patients with congenital heart disease and in patients with other chronic diseases potentially affecting the heart, there are growing opportunities for clinical use. It is time for pediatric cardiologists to consider incorporating echocardiographic strain imaging into the clinical management algorithm. In conclusion, we present the possibilities of using echocardiographic strain imaging in pediatrics.

Teja Senekovič Kojc is finishing her PhD at the University of Maribor, Slovenia. She is working as a pediatrician at University Medical Center Maribor, Slovenia. Her main clinical and research interests are pediatric cardiology (especially echocardiography), neonatology, and intensive care.  She has international and national publications on her expertise. She has also actively participated in many national and international conferences and courses.