Twenty-Five Years of Strain Imaging in Cardiac Function Assessment: Bibliometrics and Emerging Frontiers (2000–2025)

Abstract

Objective: To perform a bibliometric analysis of global research trends in strain imaging for cardiac function assessment between 2000 and 2025. Methods: Publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection using terms related to “strain imaging” and “cardiac function.” Only English-language articles and reviews were included. A total of 2,890 publications were analyzed with VOSviewer to assess publication trends, key contributors, journals, keywords, and collaboration networks. Results: Annual publications increased exponentially, peaking in 2024, with nearly 2,400 cumulative papers by 2025. Chinese scholars, led by Mingxing Xie and Li Zhang, dominated in publication output, whereas international authors such as Thomas H. Marwick achieved higher citation impact. Huazhong University of Science and Technology ranked first in output, while the University of Oslo showed the highest average citation rate. Echocardiography was the most prolific journal, whereas Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging and JACC achieved the greatest impact. Keyword analysis revealed a shift from methodological innovation to clinical applications and guideline-driven standardization. Collaboration networks highlighted the United States and China as global hubs, with Europe forming dense clusters. Conclusion: Strain imaging research has rapidly expanded and matured into an evidence-based clinical tool. Future efforts should focus on standardization, AI integration, disease-specific thresholds, and international collaboration.