Use of carotid ultrasound to stratify risk.

B-mode carotid ultrasound is a well validated imaging technique for evaluating the anatomical extent of subclinical atherosclerosis. It is used to measure arterial carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and there is clear evidence that carotid IMT measurements can be used to identify individuals at increased risk for coronary events and stroke. The validity and the usefulness of the technique - primarily as a research tool but also in the assessment of clinical cardiovascular risk - have been shown in a number of studies.