Atrial strain in cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, a sensitive companion of ventricular strain

The function of human heart is that of maintaining blood in motion by accommodating the incoming low-pressure venous blood into the atrium, transferring it from atrium to ventricle, and propelling into the circulation with high pressure. This process, where blood transits and acquires potential energy, is allowed by the generation of differences of pressure between atrium and ventricle and between ventricle and downstream artery, which, in turn, are achieved through a sequence of expansions and contractions in a harmonious synchrony between atria and ventricles