The assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has become an integral part of a routine echocardiographic examination of the adult heart. When performing measurements required for the diagnosis of LV diastolic function and in the interpretation of LV diastolic function, the sonographer should be aware of a number of limitations that may be encountered. These limitations include technical factors and physiological factors. Technical factors include suboptimal traces, misinterpretation of traces and high pulse repetition frequency. Physiology factors include arrhythmias, associated mitral valve disease and atypical flow profiles.

This presentation will provide real-life examples to illustrate methods that can be employed to identify and overcome these limitations. In addition, tips and tricks for the interpretation of LV diastolic function in the presence of various arrhythmias and the recognition of atypical flow profiles will be discussed.