Tool / wearable
Carotid Ultrasound
Last updated 2026-07-02· Last reviewed 2026-07-02· 1 min read
Reviewed by the Ultimate Longevity Bible editorial team. Educational reference — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
What it measures
- cIMT (intima-media thickness): millimetre-level thickness of the inner two vascular layers. Elevated cIMT predicts cardiovascular events.
- Plaque presence, size, and morphology: focal atherosclerotic deposits.
- Stenosis severity: for symptomatic patients, guides revascularisation decisions.
Evidence
- cIMT is a well-established surrogate marker in cardiovascular research.
- The BioImage and Progression-of-Early-Subclinical-Atherosclerosis (PESA) studies demonstrated that a substantial fraction of apparently-low-risk middle-aged adults have detectable plaque.
- Detecting plaque reclassifies risk upward and motivates more aggressive lipid lowering.
Practical use
- Screening protocol: bilateral carotid ultrasound at age 40–50, repeat every 5 years if plaque is present.
- Combined with CAC scoring: gives complementary information (coronary vs carotid burden).
- Not universally covered by insurance for asymptomatic screening.
- Cyclarity Therapeutics (formerly Underdog Pharmaceuticals) — Company.
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) — Disease.
- LPA Gene — Gene.
- Statins — Intervention.