Reproducibility and experience dependence of echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function: Side-by-side comparison of global longitudinal strain and ejection fraction.

Semiautomated GLS measurements are fast, less experience-dependent, and more reproducible than conventional EF measurements. This is probably because, irrespective of experience, the readers' choice of boundary position varies less when asked to refine the automated detection than to draw borders without initial clues. This technique may facilitate the workflow of a busy laboratory and make a step forward toward incorporating quantitative analysis into everyday echocardiography practice.