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Figure 1 (A) Temporal series of images demonstrating magnetic resonance imaging myocardial tagging during systole (upper panels) and diastole (lower panels) and (B) an illustration showing the direction of myocardial strains. (C) Individual phases from the cardiac cycle showing the spatial and temporal evolution of three-dimensional circumferential strain for a normal healthy human heart (upper panels) and a patient with severe cardiomyopathy and left bundle branch-type conduction delay (lower panels). Time moves from left (end-diastole) to right (end-systole). During systolic contraction, the spatial and temporal distribution of circumferential strain are visualized by the color changes, where red corresponds to the neutral (end-diastolic) strain, blue is shortening, and yellow is lengthening or stretch. E_CC = circumferential strain; E_LL = longitudinal strain; E_RR = radial strain; LV = left ventricle; RV = right ventricle.