Figure 1

Colour-coded display of the blood flow and myocardial longitudinal velocity-encoded PC images. Panel a: blood flow velocity images, selected during a systolic phase (left), in which we can visualize the aortic ejection flow, and a diastolic phase (right), in which we can visualize the transmitral filling flow. Panel b: myocardial longitudinal velocity images, selected at the beginning of the systolic phase (left) and at the beginning of the diastolic phase (right). Negative velocity values were colour-coded in hot tones while positive velocity values were colour-coded in cold tones, to distinguish between through plane velocities in both directions.