When it comes to preventing heart disease, testing matters—but choosing the right test matters even more.

Two common tests are:

• CIMT (Carotid Intima-Media Thickness)
• CAC (Coronary Artery Calcium Score)

They are not interchangeable. Each gives different information about your cardiovascular health.

What Is a CIMT Test?

The CIMT scan is a noninvasive test that is performed easily and quickly in the physician's office. Using a handheld ultrasound probe, the certified technician scans the carotid arteries in your neck to detect hidden plaque buildup and increased thickness of the artery wall. The entire test is painless, and there is no exposure to radiation.

What it tells us:

• Thickness of your artery wall (early vascular aging)
• Inflammation before plaque forms
• Presence of soft plaque (early, unstable plaque)
• Mixed or calcified plaque

Why this matters:

Leading medical associations agree that performing carotid ultrasound imaging to scan for plaque and measuring carotid arterial wall thickness can help to determine your risk of heart attack or stroke. The test is FDA-approved and an excellent tool for cardiovascular risk assessment.

What Is a CAC Scan?

CAC is a CT scan that looks at calcium buildup in the coronary arteries (the arteries of the heart). The test is done at a hospital or a Medical Imaging Business. This test dose use radiation.

What it tells us:

• Amount of calcified plaque only

Why this matters:

Calcium represents more advanced, long-standing plaque buildup.

Key Differences

Important to Know

A CAC score of 0 does NOT mean no heart disease.

You may still have:

• Inflammation
• Early plaque formation
• Soft plaque (higher risk for rupture)

This is why relying on CAC alone can sometimes be misleading.

When CIMT Is Most Helpful

You may benefit from CIMT if you:

• Want early detection and prevention
• Have risk factors (stress, poor sleep, metabolic issues, inflammation)
• Have a family history of heart disease
• Are under age 50 and want a proactive approach
• Want to track improvement from lifestyle changes

When CAC Is Most Helpful

You may benefit from CAC if you:

• Are age 45+
• Want to assess overall plaque burden
• Need help deciding on medications (like statins)
• Want a widely recognized risk score

When to Consider Doing Both

In some cases, doing both tests gives the most complete picture.

Consider both if you:

• Have a strong family history of heart disease
• Have diabetes, prediabetes, or insulin resistance
• Have elevated inflammation markers
• Want a full understanding of your risk
• Have symptoms but unclear test results

How These Tests Work Together

Think of it this way:

• CIMT = Early warning system
• CAC = Long-term damage score

Together, they help answer:

• Are your arteries becoming unhealthy?
• How much plaque has already developed?
• What should we do next?

Our Approach

We focus on prevention and root cause, not just waiting for disease to show up.

That means:

• Identifying problems early
• Tracking changes over time
• Supporting lifestyle, nutrition, and metabolic health
• Using testing to guide personalized care

Bottom Line

• CIMT helps us catch problems early
• CAC helps us measure accumulated damage
• Using the right test (or both) helps us take action at the right time

A CIMT scan can provide you with the early warning so you and your physician can take proactive steps to reverse arterial plaque buildup. Just knowing your cholesterol levels isn’t enough to know if you are developing disease.

About Arterial Plaque​
​Plaque is a fatty buildup within the wall of an artery and is a result of a disease process called atherosclerosis. A plaque develops within the intima layer of the artery at a location where it has been damaged. During this process, white blood cells enter the artery wall and begin to accumulate fat and cholesterol, creating fatty (foam) cells. Over time, this fatty plaque buildup forms a lump that doctors call an atheroma.

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An early sign of plaque formation is a thickening of the arterial wall. As plaques continue to grow in size, they begin to bulge into the lumen of the artery and produce no symptoms until they rupture. Plaques are prone to rupture and blood clotting, which may further limit the blood flow through the lumen, or the blod clot can lead to a heart attack or stroke. These plaques can remain hidden for many years without causing pain or any symptoms. Unfortunately, in many people, the first symptom of these "hidden" plaques is a heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.

Our Next CIMT Test Date is Saturday April 11, 2026

We only offer this incredible test to our current members. Do take advantage of this potentionally lifesaving test.

Call 708-771-3471 to schedule your test

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