what is cimt?
AFTER ONE YEAR, PATIENTS WHO VIEWED ULTRASOUND PICTURES OF THEIR VASCULAR DAMAGE HALVED THEIR CV RISK COMPARED TO THE CONTROL POPULATION.
CIMT is a non-invasive, state-of-the-art, cost-effective diagnostic tool for the earliest detection of cardiovascular disease.
It is safe, painless and convenient, taking only 20 minutes. Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) is recommended for earlier detection and prevention by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education (SHAPE) Task Force, the Mayo Clinic, the Cedars Sinai Heart Institute, as well as many more leading medical and research facilities throughout the United States.
CIMT uses safe, radiation free, B-mode ultrasound imaging to measure the Intima Media Thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery to detect atherosclerosis at its earliest stages. It also assesses the presence of plaque and plaque characteristics. Over 30 years of studies and clinical trials have shown a high correlation between the carotid artery IMT and carotid plaque to coronary (heart) artery disease.
Early detection allows you and your physician to develop a treatment plan to best protect your cardiovascular health and prevent a heart attack or stroke. CIMT helps your healthcare provider to tailor your course of treatment based on your specific arterial situation. It also provides the opportunity to monitor your progress to ensure that you are responding positively to your individualized treatment.
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No. CIMT is non-invasive, does not involve radiation and there is no need for contrast dies. A water-soluble ultrasound gel is applied to the patient’s neck to ensure efficiency of the ultrasound wand.
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CIMT screening consists of two ultrasound scans, one on each side of the neck. It takes 15-20 minutes to complete both scans.
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A printed, full-color report is available for you to download and print within 72 hours.
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The CIMT report includes illustrated images of both the left and right carotid arteries; graphs showing your vascular age, measurements of the rate of blood flow in the carotid arteries and the percent of plaque blockage in your arteries. Additionally, the online report contains live links to the actual ultrasound ultrasound images of your carotid arteries.
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Yes! CIMT can be used as a screening tool in people who do not have current cardiovascular disease symptoms but who are at an intermediate risk* for developing future cardiovascular disease.
*Intermediate Risk factors as defined by the Mannheim CIMT consensus, the ASE consensus statement, the ACC/AHA guidelines:
1.Family history of premature CVD in first-degree relatives
2.Individuals < 60 yo with severe abnormalities in a single risk factor who otherwise do not meet standard recommendations for taking medications
3.Women < 60 yo with at least 2 CVD risk factors)
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CIMT imaging detects early signs of cardiovascular disease, earlier than other screening methods. If indicated, appropriate interventions to prevent development of additional symptoms of cardiovascular disease can be implemented. The health benefit goal is to prevent future negative consequences of cardiovascular disease by catching early signs with ultrasound.
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YES! It is well established that an increase in intima-media thickness “is an early manifestation of the atherosclerotic process...” In other words, CIMT imaging detects early signs of the heart disease process.
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CIMT is an ultrasound image of the carotid artery that shows the health status of the carotid artery in real time. A healthy artery is normal in width and free of plaque. An unhealthy artery shows thickening in the artery lining (the intima-media) as well as deposits of plaque. If present, CIMT measures both the degree of intima-media thickening as well as the amount of plaque in the carotid artery.
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There are two carotid arteries, one on either side of the neck. They are the major blood vessels that carry oxygen rich blood from the heart to the brain. The interior lining of each carotid artery is composed of several layers of tissues. The Intima and the Media are two of these tissues. They are positioned side-by side within the lining of the carotid artery.
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The only thing that separates the intima-media from the blood flowing through the carotid artery, is a single layer of epithelial cells. If the epithelial cells are damaged, the body responds with inflammation in the area that was damaged. Inflammation is a response whose purpose is to provide healing to the damaged area. However, if the damage is continuous and chronic, then instead of healing the lining of the artery, the intima-media layers thicken and plaque begins to accumulate. Thickening and plaque accumulation narrow the diameter of the artery, restricting blood flow to the brain.
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Inflammation is a risk factor for stroke. Restricted blood flow in the carotid arteries increases the force of the blood flow. This creates the ideal conditions for a piece of plaque to potentially break off and be carried into the blood circulation of the brain. A stroke results when a piece of loose plaque lodges inside a blood vessel, stopping the flow of blood.
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YES! CIMT “has been shown to be a strong predictor of future cardiovascular events.”
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-CIMT does not have the observed weaknesses in the CVD predictive power of the well-know Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Surprisingly, some individuals with low to moderate FRS experienced heart attacks. CIMT can detect underlying CVD in individuals who are otherwise not at risk for CVD.
-CIMT ultrasound is better at detecting the early signs of atherosclerosis than a CT scan of the heart (CAC) especially in young-to-middle-aged people who have no clinical symptoms of CVD, including a CAC score of zero. A Coronary Artery Calcium CT scan detects hard (calcified) plaque in coronary arteries. CIMT screening sees the early signs of cardiovascular disease before plaque hardens.
-CIMT imaging provides visual images, calculates vascular age, measures rate of blood flow and determines the percent plaque blockage of the carotid artery. Screening tests which measure endothelial vasodilator function only measure reactivity of blood vessels to imposed restricted flow.