James Bradley Parente

Mr. James Bradley Parente


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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Journal Article
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MDMichelle Dai
Michelle Dai
WXWinnie Xu
Winnie Xu
HCHelene Chesnais
Helene Chesnais
NANancy Anabaraonye
Nancy Anabaraonye
JPJames Bradley Parente
James Bradley Parente
CRChamith Rajapakse
Chamith Rajapakse
A major pathophysiological cause of cardiovascular disease is vascular plaque calcification. Fluorine 18–Sodium Fluoride (18F-NaF) PET/CT can be used as a sensitive imaging modality for detection of vascular calcification. The aim of this study was to find a non-invasive, cost-efficient, and readily available metric for predicting vascular calcification severity. This retrospective study was performed on 36 participants who underwent 18F-NaF fused PET/CT scans. The mean standard uptake values (SUVs) were calculated from manually sectioned axial sections over the aortic arch and thoracic aorta. Correlation analyses were performed between SUVs and calculated atherogenic indices (AIs). Castelli’s Risk Index I (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001), Castelli’s Risk Index II (r = 0.64, p < 0.0001), Atherogenic Coefficient (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001), Atherogenic Index of Plasma (r = 0.51, p = 0.00152), and standalone high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r = −0.53, p = 0.000786) were associated with aortic calcification. AIs show strong association with aortic arch and thoracic aorta calcifications. AIs are better predictors of vascular calcification compared to standalone lipid metrics, with the exception of HDL cholesterol. Clinical application of AIs provides a holistic metric beneficial for enhancing screening and treatment protocols.