Objective: We sought to characterize the quantitative data and functional recovery of regional myocardial function of left ventricle (LV) in convalescent patients with apical ballooning syndrome Methods: Nine consecutive patients (7 females, mean age 61짹13 years) diagnosed as apical ballooning syndrome were serially underwent two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography on admission, on day 4 (range 2 to 7 days), and the 2 month after the acute period. A total of 20 segments of mid-LV with akinetic motion were analyzed by 2D strain imaging. Results: The median serum brain natriuretic peptide level on admission was 741 pg/mL (range 10-4000 pg/mL). Mean LV ejection fraction on admission, on day 4 and the last examination was 32짹12 %, 43짹11 % and 60짹5 %, respectively. Average values of longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain of the akinetic mid-LV segment on admission were 14.4짹8.8%, 7짹3.4%, and 8.5짹5.0%, respectively. All values were significantly improved 34.4짹23.5%, 14짹6.5%, and 11.5짹3.9%, respectively on day 4 (p< 0.01) and 53.5짹14.9%, 24.1짹7.8%, 18.1짹4.4%, respectively at the last examination. (p<0.01). The recovery time of the strain value was shorter and relative average increment was greater in the order of radial and circumferential, and longitudinal strain. The catch-up of strain value during the recovery period was more delayed in the longitudinal strain. Conclusions: The functional recovery of regional myocardial function in patients with apical ballooning syndrome was more delayed in the longitudinal strain compared with the radial and the circumferential strain. 2D strain imaging could provide the quantitative and qualitative charateristics of regional myocardial function in patients with apical ballooning syndrome.