Does B-mode ultrasound measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) improve cardiovascular risk assessment compared to traditional risk scores?
CIMT measured by B-mode ultrasound correlates with traditional risk scores and may be a useful complementary tool for risk reclassification, particularly in intermediate-risk populations.
B-mode ultrasound-measured CIMT significantly correlates with traditional cardiovascular risk scores and is independently associated with high cardiovascular risk categories after adjustment for traditional risk factors. CIMT measurements of the carotid bulb appear to show stronger correlation with risk scores than common carotid artery measurements. CIMT demonstrates correlation with established risk scoring systems and shows the most significant risk reclassification effect in intermediate-risk populations, supporting its potential utility as a complementary assessment tool.
Zhao et al. (Fri,) studied this question.