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Speckle tracking echocardiography in cardiac amyloidosis

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Abstract

Speckle tracking echocardiography is an imaging method, based on analysis of 2D echocardiographic images, that is useful in providing information on tissue deformation in different cardiac diseases. Cardiac amyloidosis is a complex pathological entity that can be confused with other causes responsible for cardiac hypertrophy, and for this reason, it can be misdiagnosed, especially in the early stages. Cardiac magnetic resonance and endomyocardial biopsy are reference methods for specific diagnosis, but their use is limited by a number of factors, both of a logistical and technical nature. Considering the limits of standard 2D echocardiography, speckle tracking echocardiography can be a useful method to enhance the clinical suspicion, to provide prognostic information, and to address patients more appropriately towards reference methods for definitive diagnosis.

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Author notes

  1. Mario Stricagnoli and Matteo Cameli contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Mario Stricagnoli, Matteo Cameli, Eufemia Incampo, Stefano Lunghetti & Sergio Mondillo

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  1. Mario Stricagnoli
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  2. Matteo Cameli
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  3. Eufemia Incampo
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Correspondence to Mario Stricagnoli.

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Stricagnoli, M., Cameli, M., Incampo, E. et al. Speckle tracking echocardiography in cardiac amyloidosis. Heart Fail Rev 24, 701–707 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10741-019-09796-z

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