Large aortic arch plaques are associated with ischemic stroke. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The association between CIMT and aortic arch plaques has been studied in patients with strokes, but not in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate this association in an elderly asymptomatic cohort and to assess the possibility of using CIMT to predict the presence or absence of large aortic arch plaques.