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CIMT Scan: How Old Are Your Arteries?

Quick, Painless Test to Assess Vascular Health

Advanced Lipidology offers a safe, painless, FDA-approved examination that quickly reveals the effects of all risk factors you have on the health of your arteries.

Atherosclerosis begins with the inner most part of the artery wall, called the Intima, thickening before there is a build-up of plaque in your arteries. This thickening then predisposes the artery to plaque development which is the underlying cause of heart attack and stroke.

The Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) examination provides a direct measurement of atherosclerosis, even in its earliest stages before it causes symptoms or starts to block blood flow. The CIMT test also provides an estimate of how "old" your blood vessels are in comparison to your actual age.

Heart disease is the number one killer of American men and women. The majority of people who die unexpectedly of heart disease have not experienced prior symptoms of the disease.

How Does the CIMT Test Work?

The CIMT examination uses ultrasound technology to measure the thickness of the first two layers of the carotid artery located in the neck, where plaque which can block blood-flow first develops. Thickness of the artery wall is an early indicator of vascular disease. The thicker the arterial wall, the greater the risk for plaque development and eventually heart attack or stroke.

How Old Are Your Arteries?

Your chronological age may be 45 years, but are your arteries as young as you feel? A special feature of the CIMT scan is a report you receive that compares your CIMT results with others of your age, gender, and ethnicity.

Early Detection Can Lead to Early Intervention

It's never too late to reduce your risk for heart attack or stroke. Your physician can use the results of your CIMT scan, in combination with your cardiac risk factors, to create a heart-healthy action plan that may include lifestyle changes, medications and/or further tests, which will:

• Reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke
• Maintain your healthy heart
• Reverse existing hardening of the arteries and decrease the risk for a second heart attack, stroke, or other cardiac event

Follow-up CIMT testing can track your progress as you work to reduce your risk.

Should You Have a CIMT Test?

The CIMT test is most appropriate for individuals at risk for heart disease based on cardiovascular risk factors. Individuals at risk have one or more of the following risk factors:

• Family history of heart disease/stroke
• Tobacco user
• High blood pressure
• High LDL - "bad" cholesterol
• Low HDL - "good" cholesterol
• Elevated triglycerides
• Metabolic syndrome
• Diabetic

Is the CIMT Test Covered by Health Insurance?

To date most insurances do not routinely pay for CIMT testing. Yet, the CIMT is a safe, FDA-approved test that is recognized as a valid means for detecting subclinical vascular disease to assess risk for heart disease.

How Much Does It Cost?

At Advanced Lipidology, S.C., we offer CIMT testing and interpretation for only $299.

Appointments

Request a CIMT appointment online (click here), or call
262-646-3223 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.