Abstract 149: Metabolic Neuroimaging in the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk: A Regional FDG‐PET Analysis

Introduction Emerging evidence suggests a robust association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive decline, accentuating the necessity for early detection and intervention. 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) has proven efficacious in identifying metabolic neurological changes at a molecular level, even before conventional imaging methods can detect structural changes. This study analyzed regional glucose metabolism in individuals with known CVD risk factors. The detection of such metabolic changes could assist in determining the necessity and timing of vascular interventions, such as carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery angioplasty with stenting (CAS), contributing to improved patient outcomes and reduced postoperative complications. Methods We compared 79 healthy controls (mean age 44.5 ± 13.8 years, 53.2% males) and 40 individuals (mean age 55.9 ± 11.9 years, 50% males) at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as assessed by the systematic coronary risk evaluation tool. All subjects were grouped into two age‐matched cohorts: younger (