The value of CIMT as an important additional indicator of vascular health by medical professionals and medical policy experts has been recognized by the American Heart Association.

American Heart Association Prevention Conference V Statement on CIMT

“Carotid artery B-mode ultrasound imaging is a safe, noninvasive, and relatively inexpensive means of assessing subclinical atherosclerosis. The technique can measure CIMT, an operational measure of atherosclerosis, in a valid and reliable manner. The severity of carotid CIMT is an independent predictor of transient cerebral ischemia, stroke, and coronary events such as myocardial infarction. The writing group concluded that in asymptomatic individuals older than 45 years of age, carefully performed carotid ultrasound examination with CIMT measurement can add incremental information to traditional risk factor assessment. In experienced laboratories, this test can now be considered for further clarification of CHD risk assessment at the request of a physician.”

Click here for the full Prevention V Executive Summary, entitled “Beyond Secondary Prevention: Identifying the High Risk Patient for Primary Prevention,” Circulation. 2000 Jan 4-11; 101(1): 111-6.