IMT Exam

Intima-Media Thickness

Once a person’s IMT has been precisely established, the individual risk of heart attack and stroke for that person is determined based on database analysis techniques. An individual IMT is only useful when compared against a large repository of IMT data for subjects who are similar in terms of age, gender and ethnicity. This is because atherosclerosis progresses differently for different demographics.

SonoNet incorporates state of the art computerized IMT analysis with the largest and most diverse IMT database on Earth using IMTHeartScan™ which represents the gold standard both in terms of accuracy of measurement and personal risk assessment.

IMT - What is it and Why?

IMT stands for Intimal Medial Thickness. This is the technical way to refer to the thickness of your blood vessel walls. Measuring the IMT is a way to measure atherosclerosis, which is a disease of the vascular system. The progression of this disease leads to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications such as heart attack and stroke.

For this reason, tracking and analyzing a patient’s level of atherosclerosis provides invaluable insight into a person’s cardiovascular Heart. Because the IMT of the common carotid artery (located in the neck) is the most accurate indicator of a patient’s system wide atherosclerosis, this is the location that IMT testing is performed.

Who Should Get an IMT Exam?

In 2002, the American Heart Assoication updated their Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke to include risk factor assessment for all individuals beginning at age 20.

While we recommend an IMT screening for all individuals, our strongest recommendation is for those individuals with one or more of the following risk factors:

Family history of cardiovascular disease
Smoking
Obesity
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
High LDL cholesterol level
Low HDL cholesterol level
Diabetes
Elevated Lipoprotein (a)
Poor eating habits
Sedentary lifestyle

Heart Attack and Stroke

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number one cause of deaths in the U.S. is cardiovascular disease.

The third most common cause of death in the U.S. is cerebrovascular disease, more commonly referred to as Stroke and Transient Ischemic Accident (TIA).
In up to 40% of heart attack patients, traditional risk factors like elevated cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes are absent.
Despite decades of public education and intervention, one half of Americans can expect to suffer and even die from one or another cardiovascular disease.
One in four Americans who suffer a heart attack will die from their first incident which is frequently their first and only indication of ill Heart.

What are the Benefits?

A Picture says a thousand words:

An IMT Scan helps treat the actual disease … not just symptoms or numbers!
The procedure is painless and takes approximately (5) minutes to complete.
Turn around time is 48 hours or less
An IMT Scan helps manage and motivate patients to be more compliant with their prescribed treatment programs.
Detects early stage atherosclerotic disease, even in children
Provides a boost to increase office revenues

Think Early Detection … Take Better Control of Your Patient’s Vascular Care

Patients who are at risk or have already suffered a stroke or heart attack need to know what level of progression of disease currently exists. Keep in mind that patients who had a calcium scoring done in the past need to have a fresh, more predictive look at their disease by having a IMT Scan performed!

The results of IMT Scan testing will allow you to plan a treatment strategy based on individual diagnostic assessment allowing for your optimal health realization.

A Key Practice Benefit

The key to success is keeping patient care and comfort at the forefront of the testing process. While maintaining patient retention and increasing practice revenue is attainable while providing a valuable prevention tool and service to your patients.

"The stakes involved are high. Obesity greatly increases a child's risk in adulthood of developing and dying from serious chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and certain cancers. Further, many children already suffer from adverse health effects related to their obesity." -- Childhood Obesity Expert

An IMT Scan has been approved for use with children as young as 12 years old and for special populations like women and or people who have already suffered a heart or stroke event.

Testimonials

Early Diagnosis Helps Parents and Kids

“At the The KidShape® Foundation Carotid IMT ultrasound procedure identifies those children at high risk for future heart disease, and we have been astounded to see the degree definitive evidence of vascular disease occurring at the very early age of even 13 years old.”

- Naomi Neufeld, MD, FACE, - Chief Medical Director of the KidShape® Foundation

Directly Monitor the Need For and Effect of Therapy

“This simple and inexpensive system let's the doctor and patient monitor the need for therapy, the effect of present therapy, the need for lifestyle changes. This picture of a person's vessel is a great motivational tool since it is real and not abstract.”

- Karlis Ullis, MD, Clinical Professor at the Gonda Diabetes Center, UCLA School of Medicine