[Meaningful diagnostics: imaging].

Imaging of subclinical atherosclerosis is an integrated component of a preventive medicine algorithm; i.e. on the basis of a cardiovascular risk stratification patients with a low and intermediate risk qualify for further imaging (cave: Bayes' theorem). Imaging procedures for subclinical atherosclerosis have one thing in common: atherosclerosis is detected and localized directly, for which cardiac multidetector computed tomography (MDCT; coronary calcium scoring, CACS) and vascular ultrasound (carotid and/or femoral arteries) are used to measure the plaque burden. The result is viewed as a risk modifier. The risk assessment is not related to symptoms. In addition to the detection and localization of atherosclerosis this also enables assessment of the "risk age" according to the tables of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and even the biological age, which can be estimated based on nomograms. This knowledge can be used to promote patient compliance and adherence to medication.