Carotid IMT
What is Carotid IMT?
Carotid IMT (which stands for intima-media thickness; also abbreviated CIMT) is a measurement of the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries located in the neck. This measurement serves as an important indicator of one's risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke. Changes in blood pressure can put stress on the walls of the arteries, causing them to thicken over time. Plaque buildup on the arterial walls can also contribute to their thickness.
The Carotid IMT test provides a detailed picture of the thickness of both the media (the thick, muscular layer of the artery) and the intima (the thin, inner layer). It offers an analysis of the patient's risk for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiac diseases. The test is brief, non-invasive, and uses a high-tech ultrasound system to measure arterial thickness. It requires no medications, anathesthetic, injections, needles, or radiation exposure.
Who should have a Carotid IMT Scan?
By analyzing the thickness of the arterial walls with a CIMT test, cardiologists are better able to assess their patients' health and risk for cardiovascular disease. An individual's risk of developing cardiovascular disease is determined by a mixture of genetic predisposition and lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and smoking. Those who have a family history of heart disease, are overweight, eat a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, smoke, drink alcohol in excess, exercise very infrequently, and even people who lead a high-stress lifestyle are at a greater risk of developing heart disease.
As the body builds up excess cholesterol in the bloodstream, walls of plaque begin to form on the insides of the blood vessels - a condition known as atherosclerosis. Having a CIMT test regularly is an excellent way to track the progress of a heart diease prevention plan or treatment program. For patients with high blood pressure, CIMT testing is also a way to asses the risk that their blood pressure has afforded them of developing heart disease.
How to Get Started
Due to stringent test examination requirements and the need for high-tech equipment and expert consultation, Carotid IMT testing is not a widely available test - and the Mount Sinai Heart Institute is proud to offer it. To learn more about Carotid IMT scanning or to schedule a test today, please call 305-674-2273 or Contact Us online.
Diagnostic Tests
