The aim of this article is to discuss the present and future potential of deformation imaging by echocardiography and scar visualisation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The two methods are clearly different: one is concerned with function, the other with morphology. Echocardiography, with its versatility of methods and high applicability, will continue to be the workhorse in cardiac imaging of patients with CAD. Important additional information can be extracted from deformation imaging methods, especially due to the high temporal resolution in tissue Doppler. Deformation measurements in 3D images are still limited by their lower resolution compared with 2D but will continue to improve. The standardisation of image analysis and the collaboration within the echocardiographic community to conduct larger studies will be important tasks in the attempt to establish evidence for the new methods. Late enhancement MRI is a method with unique properties and will continue to be an important alternative in selected patients and settings, as well as an invaluable research tool.
