Chun Yuan, Ph.D.

Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering
Vice Chair for Global Affairs

Biography

Dr. Chun Yuan received his B.S. in physics at Beijing Normal University and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Physics at the University of Utah.  He became Senior Research Analyst of GE Medical Systems immediately thereafter.  He has pioneered multiple high-resolution MRI techniques to detect vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and led numerous MRI studies examining carotid atherosclerosis.  He is a member of the editorial board for the following Journals: JACC CV imaging, Journal of Cardiovascular MR, and the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology.  He also serves as manuscript reviewer for about 20 other peer-reviewed journals involving magnetic resonance, arteriosclerosis, stroke and cardiovascular sciences.

Through his stint in the University of Washington, he has mentored 32 postdocs who have moved on to become professors, chief research scientists, clinician-researchers, heads of departments and other positions of responsibility in both private and government or public institutions in the USA, China, Germany, and around the world. 

Because of his expertise in the field of cardiovascular imaging and magnetic resonance, he has been an invited speaker or keynote speaker, lecturer, moderator or faculty for many international and US meetings in the imaging field.  He has over 210 articles in peer-reviewed journals.  His research is supported by several NIH and private grants and currently supervises several postdoctoral fellows, research scientists and graduate students, as well as teaches courses in Bioengineering and Radiology.

Research Interests

Magnetic resonance imaging
Multi modal imaging techniques
Vulnerable carotid plaque
High risk plaque
Intraplaque hemorrhage
Atherosclerosis
Stroke
Coronary events
Cardiovascular disease

Education

PhD, Medical Biophysics and Computing, University of Utah, 1988
BS, Physics, 1979-1982, Beijing Nomal University, Beijing, China 1982

Awards and Honors

• American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) Fellow, March 20, 2017
• Radiology Editor’s 2016 Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction, December 01, 2016

Recent Publications

See all publications on Scopus

Identification of carotid non-hemorrhagic lipid-rich necrotic core by magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient-echo imaging: Validation by contrast-enhanced T1 weighted imaging
Wang T., Qiao H., Xu H., Xu D., Liu G., Yuan C., Zhao X.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2019 Nov:155-158

Carotid artery segmentation using level set method with double adaptive threshold (DATLS) on TOF-MRA images
Luo L., Liu S., Tong X., Jiang P., Yuan C., Zhao X., Shang F.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2019 Nov:123-130

Combining morphological and biomechanical factors for optimal carotid plaque progression prediction: An MRI-based follow-up study using 3D thin-layer models
Wang Q., Tang D., Wang L., Canton G., Wu Z., Hatsukami T., Billiar K., Yuan C.
International Journal of Cardiology. 2019 Oct:266-271

Improved carotid lumen delineation on non-contrast MR angiography using SNAP (Simultaneous Non-Contrast Angiography and Intraplaque Hemorrhage) imaging
Liu H., Sun J., Hippe D., Wu W., Chu B., Balu N., Hatsukami T., Yuan C.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2019 Oct:87-93

Association of Long-Term Risk Factor Levels With Carotid Atherosclerosis: The Chicago Healthy Aging Magnetic Resonance Imaging Plaque Study (CHAMPS)
Berry J., Mehta A., Lin K., Ayers C., Carroll T., Pandey A., Garside D., Daviglus M., Yuan C., Lloyd-Jones D.
Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging. 2019 Sep:e009226

Size of carotid artery intraplaque hemorrhage and acute ischemic stroke: A cardiovascular magnetic resonance Chinese atherosclerosis risk evaluation study
Liu Y., Wang M., Zhang B., Wang W., Xu Y., Han Y., Yuan C., Zhao X.
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. 2019 Jul

Quantitative assessment of the intracranial vasculature in an older adult population using iCafe
Chen L., Sun J., Hippe D., Balu N., Yuan Q., Yuan I., Zhao X., Li R., He L., Hatsukami T., Hwang J., Yuan C.
Neurobiology of Aging. 2019 Jul:59-65

Plaque components segmentation in carotid artery on simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage imaging using machine learning
Zhang Q., Qiao H., Dou J., Sui B., Zhao X., Chen Z., Wang Y., Chen S., Lin M., Chiu B., Yuan C., Li R., Chen H.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2019 Jul:93-100

Understanding Atherosclerosis Through an Osteoarthritis Data Set
Liu W., Balu N., Canton G., Hippe D., Watase H., Waterton J., Hatsukami T., Yuan C.
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 2019 Jun:1018-1025

Differences in Carotid Plaques Between Symptomatic Patients With and Without Diabetes Mellitus
Gao X., Song J., Watase H., Hippe D., Zhao X., Canton G., Tian F., Du R., Ji S., Yuan C.
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 2019 Jun:1234-1239