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Figure 1 Strain data processing. Strain rate B-mode data (top) was postprocessed from myocardial velocities. Strain rate profiles were obtained from a user-defined region of interest (white circle) and averaged over three consecutive cardiac cycles to derive mean strain rate profiles (middle). Mean strain profiles (bottom) were obtained by time-integrating of the mean strain rate profiles with end-diastole (electrocardiogram [ECG] R-top) as a reference time-point. Note the marked difference between the radial and longitudinal deformation magnitude. The timing of aortic valve closure (AVC) was used as a marker of end-systole (vertical dashed lines). SAX = short-axis parasternal view.