Is electrocardiography still useful in the diagnosis of cardiac chamber hypertrophy and dilatation?

The echocardiogram undoubtedly is part of the cardiologist's armamentarium in the diagnosis and elucidation of cardiac abnormalities, but the ECG still continues to be the most frequently recorded noninvasive test in medicine. For many patients, particularly those who have newly diagnosed hypertension, a 12-lead ECG recording may be the only test that is required as a baseline measure. For those who have possible heart failure, an ECG and B-type natriuretic peptide measurement may be sufficient to obviate the need for an echocardiogram. Electrocardiography and echocardiography will continue to live side-by-side for the foreseeable future.