CIMT Ultrasound - Detect Early Plaque

CIMT (Carotid Intima Media Thickness) ultrasound is a simple, FDA-approved way to assess the health of your arteries and detect early atherosclerosis (i.e. plaque) without any radiation exposure. Using an ultrasound in the office, we look at the arteries in your neck and measure 3 things:

1. Carotid artery thickness — the thickness of the artery is directly correlated with vascular inflammation and early plaque development. Fortunately, this is completely reversible once identified and lifestyle changes are made!

2. Arterial Age — our arteries thicken with age but can experience more rapid thickening with smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. The test will compare your artery thickness with the general population to give you an idea how “old” your arteries are.

3. Plaque — the ultrasound can see inside your arteries to identify if you have plaque, also called atherosclerosis. The presence of any type of plaque is cause for concern but larger plaques are very concerning. We can also see if the plaque is hard or soft. Soft plaque is more unstable and higher risk of causing a heart attack or stroke. Soft plaque cannot be picked up on the standard “Calcium Score” test, so this test provides an added layer of value.