What does carotid intima-media thickness mean?
The carotid intima-media thickness test (CIMT) is a measure used to diagnose the extent of carotid atherosclerotic vascular disease. The test measures the thickness of the inner two layers of the carotid artery—the intima and media—and alerts physicians to any thickening when patients are still asymptomatic.
What is normal carotid intima-media thickness?
The normal intima-medial thickness of common carotid artery as evaluated by B-mode ultrasound imaging was 0.74 ± 0.14 mm.
What is normal IMT?
Results: The reference limits of IMT according to the age classes 18-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 years were estimated as 0.47, 0.59, 0.67 and 0.70 mm in women and 0.47, 0.62, 0.72 and 0.80 mm in men.
What does mild intimal thickening mean?
Intima-media thickness (IMT) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis (asymptomatic organ damage) and should be evaluated in every asymptomatic adult or hypertensive patient at moderate risk for cardiovascular disease.
Where is intima-media thickness measured?
measure on the posterior wall of the common carotids on the right and on the left, 1 cm from the carotid bifurcation.
How is carotid artery intima-media thickness measured?
A carotid intima-media thickness test (CIMT), also known as a carotid artery IMT ultrasound scan, uses ultrasound to measure the thickness of the intima and media, the two inner layers of the carotid artery.
Where is intima media thickness measured?
How is carotid artery intima media thickness measured?
What causes intimal thickening?
Numerous factors promote the formation of intimal hyperplasia such as vascular wall injury, aging and inflammation. Non-laminar shear stress, particularly at branch points in the vasculature, results in a mild form of intimal hyperplasia often referred to as intimal thickening.
How is carotid intima media thickness measured?
What does thickening of carotid artery mean?
Atherosclerosis causes most carotid artery disease. In this condition, fatty deposits build up along the inner layer of the arteries forming plaque. The thickening narrows the arteries and decreases blood flow or completely blocks the flow of blood to the brain.
How is intima-media thickness measured?
Intima–media thickness (IMT), also called intimal medial thickness, is a measurement of the thickness of tunica intima and tunica media, the innermost two layers of the wall of an artery. The measurement is usually made by external ultrasound and occasionally by internal, invasive ultrasound catheters.
What is the meaning of intima media thickness?
Intima-media thickness. Intima-media thickness (IMT) is an indirect sonographic assessment of the degree of atheromatous vascular disease of end organs.
How is intima-media thickness related to atherosclerosis?
The first structural change that can be detected in atherosclerosis is an increase in IMT. Intima-media thickness is an important atherosclerotic risk marker. However, this increase is not synonymous with subclinical atherosclerosis, but is related to it.
What should the intima-media thickness be for a carotid artery ultrasound?
Intima-media thickness values of more than 0.9 mm (ESC) or over the 75th percentile (ASE) should be considered abnormal. A carotid artery ultrasound scan is the method of choice, and results are reliable, provided certain standards are followed.