Research Interests

The overall goal of my research is developing and validating quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI techniques for the characterization of complex biological tissue in vivo, and integrating these techniques into computational models to address current and future medical challenges. I am particularly interested in investigating their feasibility in probing the underlying tissue characteristics in different disease conditions and organs, including adult and pediatric brain tumors, gastric cancer, and breast cancer. These advanced MRI techniques aim to facilitate important clinical decisions in cancer diagnosis, early prediction of response to therapy, and monitoring disease recurrence, helping to develop optimized patient management strategies.

   Teaching

• Spring 2020, Spring 2021: BIOE 422. Magnetic Resonance Imaging

  Course Objectives: The course objective is to help the student to acquire a basic knowledge of the principles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from a signal processing perspective. Progress toward this objective is based upon developing an understanding of MR signal generation and detection, NMR signal characteristics, RF signal localization and MR image reconstruction. By the end of the course, the student should be able to describe the origin of NMR signals, the basic relaxation phenomena, and the standard imaging pulse sequences used in experimental and clinical MRI. The course focuses on MRI from the perspectives of image acquisition, formation, and analysis.

  • Course Hours: 3 undergraduate hours or 4 graduate hours.

  • Course Information: Syllabus.

   Education

• Ph.D. in Computational Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 2009-2014

  • Advisor: Dr. Daniel B. Rowe

  • Dissertation Subject: Incorporating MR Relaxivities for fMRI Activation, for More Accurate MR Reconstruction, and for Correlation Effect Examination.

• M.S. in Computational Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 2011.

• Advisor: Dr. Daniel B. Rowe

• Thesis Subject: A Statistical FMRI Model for Differential T₂* Contrast

• M.S. in Computational Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009.

• B.S. in Applied Mathematics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2007.

   Research Training

Postdoctoral Researcher at Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago

• Director: Dr. Xiaohong Joe Zhou

• Research Topics: 

Development of mathematical and computational models for diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to formulate the anomalous diffusion processes in complex biological tissue.

Quantification and characterization of microstructural tissue heterogeneity in healthy tissue with the use of newly developed diffusion models.

Application of newly developed diffusion models to investigate structural changes associated with progression, treatment, and regression of pathological disorders.

Development of new magnetic resonance pulse sequences in order to improve the detection and quantification of functional brain activity.

   Publications

   Journal

Zhong Z, Sun K, Dan G, Luo Q, Farzaneh-Far A, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: Visualization of human aortic valve dynamics using magnetic resonance imaging with sub-millisecond temporal resolution. Online, ahead of print, Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 2021.

Karaman MM, Tang L, Li Z, Sun Y, Li, J, Zhou XJ: In vivo assessment of Lauren classification for gastric adenocarcinoma using diffusion MRI with a fractional order calculus model. Online, ahead of print, European Radiology, 2021.

Karaman MM, Zhang J, Xie KL, Zhu W, Zhou XJ: Quartile histogram assessment of glioma malignancy using high b-value diffusion MRI with a continuous-time random-walk model. NMR Biomed, e4485, doi: 10.1002/nbm.4485, 2021.

Zhong Z, Sun K, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: MRI with Sub-Millisecond Temporal Resolution. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 85(5):2434-2444, 2020.

Magin RL, Hall MG, Karaman MM, Vegh V: Fractional Calculus Models of Magnetic Resonance Phenomena: Relaxation and Diffusion. Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering, 48(5):285-326, 2020.

Gatto EG, Ye AQ, Colon-Perez L, Mareci T, Lysakowski A, Price SD, Brady ST, Karaman MM, Morfini G, Magin RL: Detection of Axonal Degeneration in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease: Comparison Between Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Anamolous Diffusion Metrics. Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine, 2019.

Zhong Z, Merkitch D, Karaman MM, Zhang J, Sui Y, Goldman JG, Zhou XJ: High-Spatial-Resolution Diffusion MRI in Parkinson Disease: Lateral Asymmetry of the Substantia Nigra. Radiology, 291(1):149-157, 2019.

Magin RL, Karaman MM, Hall MG, Zhu W, Zhou XJ: Capturing Complexity of the Diffusion-weighted MR Signal Decay. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 56:110-118, 2019.

Zhang J, Weaver TE, Zhong Z, Nisi RA, Martin KR, Steffen A, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: White matter structural differences in OSA patients experiencing residual daytime sleepiness with high CPAP use: a non-Gaussian diffusion MRI study. Sleep Medicine, 53:51-59, 2019.

Karaman MM and Zhou XJ: A Fractional Motion Diffusion Model for a Twice-Refocused Spin Echo Pulse Sequence. NMR in Biomedicine, e3960, 2018.

Niazi M, Karaman MM, Das S, Zhou XJ, Yushkevich P, Cai K: Quantitative MRI of Perivascular Spaces (PVS) at 3 Tesla for the Early Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Am J Neuroradiol, 39(9):1622-1628, 2018.

Xiong Y, Zhou XJ, Nisi RA, Martin K, Karaman MM, Cai K, Weaver TE: Brain White Matter Changes in CPAP-Treated Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with Residual Sleepiness. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 45(5):1371-1378, 2017.

Karaman MM, Wang H, Sui Y, Engelhard HH, Li YH, Zhou XJ: Fractional Motion Diffusion Model for Grading Pediatric Brain Tumors. NeuroImage: Clinical, 12:707-714, 2016.

Xiong Y, Sui Y, Xu Z, Zhang Q, Karaman MM, Cai K, Anderson TM, Zhu W, Wang J, Zhou XJ: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study on White Matter Abnormalities in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. Am J Neuroradiol, 37(8):1462-1469,2016.

Sui Y, Xiong Y, Xie KL, Karaman MM, Zhu W, Zhou XJ: Differentiation of Low- and High-Grade Gliomas Using High b-Value Diffusion Imaging with a non-Gaussian Diffusion Model. Am J Neuroradiol, 37(9):1643-1649,2016.

Karaman MM, Sui Y, Wang H, Magin RL, Li YH, Zhou XJ: Differentiating Low- and High-grade Pediatric Brain Tumors Using a Continuous-time Random-walk Diffusion Model at High b-values. Magn. Reson. Med., 76:1149-1157, 2015.

Karaman MM, Bruce IP, Rowe DB: Incorporating Relaxivities to More Accurately Reconstruct MR Images. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 34:(4):374-384, 2015.

Karaman MM, Nencka AS, Bruce IP, Rowe DB: Quantification of the Statistical Effects of Spatiotemporal Processing of Non-task fMRI Data. Brain Connectivity, 4(9):649-661, 2014.

Karaman MM, Bruce IP, Rowe DB: A Statistical fMRI Model for Differential T₂* Contrast Incorporating T₁ and T₂* of Gray Matter. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 32(1):9-27, 2014.

Bruce IP, Karaman MM, Rowe DB: The SENSE-Isomorphism Theoretical Image Voxel Estimation (SENSE-ITIVE) Model for Reconstruction and Observing Statistical Properties of Reconstruction Operators. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 30(8):1143-1166, 2012.

Bruce IP, Karaman MM, Rowe DB: A Statistical Examination of SENSE Image Reconstruction via an Isomorphism Representation. Magn. Reson. Imaging 29(9):1267-1287, 2011.

   Conference

Zhong Z, Sun K, Karaman MM, Farzaneh-Far A, Zhou XJ: Visualization of Aortic Valve Dynamics Using MRI with Sub-Millisecond Temporal Resolution. Radiological Society of North America 2020 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020.

Karaman MM, Che S, Dan G, Zhong Z, Zhao X, Ouyang H, Zhou XJ: Early Prediction of Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Multi-Modal Diffusion MRI with Machine-Learning. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Sha L, Shi T, Li W, Schonfeld D, Valyi-Nagy T, Zhou XJ: Intravoxel Tissue Heterogeneity: One-to-one Correspondence between Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI Parameters and Histologic Features. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020.

Mehta R, Karaman MM, Bu Y, Zhong Z, Dan G, Wang S, Zhou C, Hu W, Zhou XJ, and Xu M: Diffusion-Weighted MRI-Based Quantitative Markers for Characterizing Breast Cancer Lesions Using Machine Learning. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020.

Feng C, Wang Y, Dan G, Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Hu D, Zhou XJ: Grading Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma Using a Non-Gaussian Fractional Order Calculus Diffusion Model. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Zhong Z, Sun K, Dan G, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: Capture the Opening and Closing of Human Aortic Valve Using MRI with Sub-Millisecond Temporal Resolution. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Sun KB, Zhong Z, Xu ZB, Dan G, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: In-plane simultaneous multi-segment imaging: example employing diffusion-weighted imaging using a 2D RF pulse. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Zhong Z, Sun K, Dan G, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: MRI With Sub-millisecond Temporal Resolution over a Reduced Field of View. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020.

Dan G, Zhang Y, Zhong Z, Sun K, Karaman MM, Hernandao D, Zhou XJ: A Study on Time Dependency of the Fractional Order Calculus Diffusion Model. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 28th Scientific Meeting, Virtual Meeting, 2020.

Karaman MM, Bu Y, Zhong Z, Wang S, Zhou C, Hu W, Balich M, Xu M, Zhou XJ: Prediction of Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with High b-Value Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Che S, Dan G, Zhong Z, Zhao X, Ouyang H, Zhou XJ: Discrimination of Malignant and Benign Breast Lesions Using Machine Learning on Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI Parameters. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019.

Zhou CY, Zhang J, Zhu W, Zhong Z, Karaman MM: Percentile-based Analysis of Non-Gaussian Diffusion Parameters for Improved Glioma Grading. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019.

Dan G, Karaman MM, Che S, Zhong Z, Zhao X, Ouyang H, Zhou XJ: Co-registration of Breast Diffusion MR Images Across Multiple Time Points in a Longitudinal Study to Evaluate the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Sun K, Zhang Q, Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Yu X, Ouyang H, Zhou XJ: High b-value diffusion-weighted MRI in cervical cancer detection: Preliminary results. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: MRI with Sub-Millisecond Temporal Resolution: An Example Employing Spatially Resolved Eddy Current Characterization. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Claiborne TC, Zhou XJ: Capturing Time-Dependent Electric Currents Using MRI with A Sub-Millisecond Temporal Resolution. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019.

Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Sun K, Zhou XJ: Microstructural Changes in Human Substantia Nigra with Aging as Revealed by Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 27th Scientific Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019.

Karaman MM, Tang L, Li Z, Ji J, Zhou XJ: Predicting Gastric Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using a Non-Gaussian Fractional Order Calculus Diffusion Model. Radiological Society of North America 2018 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2018 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Sha L, Shi T, Li W, Schonfeld D, Valyi-Nagy T, Zhou XJ: Towards Non-Invasive Characterization of Intravoxel Tumor Heterogeneity: Correlation between Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI and Histology Using Machine Learning. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 26th Scientific Meeting, Paris, France, 2018.

Karaman MM, Tang L, Li Z, Sun Y, Ji JF, Zhou XJ: In Vivo Assessment of Lauren Classification for Gastric Cancer Using Diffusion MRI with a Fractional Order Calculus Model. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 26th Scientific Meeting, Paris, France, 2018.

Uyanik M, Abern M, Caldwell B, Karaman MM, Mar W, Macias V, Zhou XJ, Magin RL: Prostate Cancer Classification Using Stretched Exponential Model Parameters of Diffusion Signal Decay. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 26th Scientific Meeting, Paris, France, 2018.

Karaman MM, Sha L, Shi T, Li W, Schonfeld D, Valyi-Nagy T, Zhou XJ: A Machine-learning Approach for Histological Validation of Intravoxel Tissue Heterogeneity from Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI. ISMRM Workshop on Machine Learning, CA, USA, 2018.

Karaman MM, Tang L, Sui Y, Cai K, Zhou XJ: Imaging Assessment of Lauren Classification for Gastric Cancer Using a Non-Gaussian Fractional Order Calculus Diffusion Model. Radiological Society of North America 2017 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2017 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Zhang Z, Cai K, Zhu W, Zhou XJ: Towards Glioma Grading Using Non-Gaussian Diffusion Imaging with a Continuous-Time Random Walk Model and a Quantile Histogram Analysis. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 25th Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2017 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM and Zhou XJ: A Fractional Motion Diffusion Model for a Twice-Refocused Spin Echo Pulse Sequence: Analytical Expression and in Vivo Demonstration. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 25th Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2017.

Zhong Z, Merkitch D, Karaman MM, Sui Y, Goldman J, Zhou XJ: Lateral Dependence of Brainstem Structural Abnormalities in Parkinson's Disease as Revealed by High-Resolution Non-Gaussian Diffusion MR Imaging. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 25th Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2017 (★ selected for oral presentation ★ selected for Magna Cum Laude Award).

Zhang J, Weaver TE, Zhong Z, Nisi RA, Martin KR, Steffen A, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: White Matter Structural Differences among Subjects with Obstructive Sleep Apnea after Persistent CPAP-Treatment: A Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI Study. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 25th Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2017.

Zhang J, Zhou XJ, Zhong Z, Martin KR, Nisi RA, Karaman MM, Weaver TE: Mechanisms of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Residual Sleepiness using Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Sleep, 40:0513, 2017.

Karaman MM, Sui Y, Xiong Y, Zhou XJ: fMRI in All Plane Orientations with Decreased Image Distortion Using A 2D RF Pulse for Field-of-View Reduction. Radiological Society of North America 2016 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2016 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Zhong Z, Tang L, Karaman MM, Sui Y, Sun Y, Zhou XJ: Prediction of the Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Response to Second-line Sunitinib Therapy with Apparent Diffusion Coefficient. Radiological Society of North America 2016 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2016.

Karaman MM, Zhang J, Magin RL, Zhu W, Zhou XJ: Does the Signal in Diffusion-Weighted Brain MRI Follow the Continuous-Time Random-Walk Model or the Fractional Motion Model? ISMRM Workshop on Breaking the Barriers of Diffusion MRI, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016.

Xiong Y, Weaver TE, Nisi RA, Martin KR, Karaman MM, Zhou XJ: Brain White Matter Changes in CPAP-Treated Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with Residual Sleepiness ISMRM Workshop on Breaking the Barriers of Diffusion MRI, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016.

Uyanik M, Abern M, Caldwell B, Gao J, Karaman MM, W. Mar, Zhou XJ, Magin RL: Prostate Cancer Classification Using a Stretched Exponential Model of Diffusion ISMRM Workshop on Breaking the Barriers of Diffusion MRI, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016.

Karaman MM, Xiong Y, Wang H, Damen FC, Li Y, Zhou XJ: Fractional Motion Diffusion Model for Differentiation of Low- and High-Grade Pediatric Brain Tumors. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 24th Scientific Meeting, Singapore, 2016.

Karaman MM, Xiong Y, Cai K, Zhou XJ: Voxel Level Comparison of Two Anomalous Diffusion Models:Continuous-Time Random-Walk Model versus Fractional Motion Model. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 24th Scientific Meeting, Singapore, 2016.

Zhong Z, Karaman MM, Merkitch D, Goldman JG, Zhou XJ: A High b-Value Diffusion Study of Brainstem Abnormality in Patients with Parkinson's Disease Using a CTRW Model. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 24th Scientific Meeting, Singapore, 2016.

Damen NW, Cai K, Sui, Y, Karaman MM, Damen FC: A Trimodal non-Gaussian Diffusion Model for the Full Spectrum of Multi-b Diffusion MRI in Brain Tissue. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 24th Scientific Meeting, Singapore, 2016.

Karaman MM and Zhou XJ: Does the Signal in Diffusion-Weighted MRI of Human Brain Follow Continuous-Time Random-Walk Model or Fractional Motion Model? 57th Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2016.

Karaman MM, Sui Y, Wang H, Damen FC, Li Y, Zhou XJ: Comparison of Three Diffusion Models for Differentiating Low- and High-Grade Pediatric Brain Tumors. Radiological Society of North America 2015 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2015 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Sui Y, Wang H, Magin RL, Li YH, Zhou XJ: Differentiating Low- and High-Grade Pediatric Brain Tumors Using a Continuous Random Walk Diffusion Model at High b-Values. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 23rd Scientific Meeting, Toronto, Canada, 2015 (★ selected for oral presentation).

Karaman MM, Nencka AD, Rowe DB: Improving the Accuracy of fMRI and fcMRI Analysis by Accounting for Spatiotemporal Processing Induced Correlation. Proc. Am. Stat. Assoc., Section on Imaging, Boston, MA, USA, 2014.(★ selected for oral presentation).

• Karaman MM, Rowe DB, Nencka AS: Decreasing False Positives and Negatives from Spatio-Temporal Processing of FMRI. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 22nd Scientific Meeting, Milan, Italy, 2014.

Karaman MM, Bruce IP, Rowe DB: Incorporation of Gray Matter T₁ and T₂* Improves Brain Activation Statistics in FMRI. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 21st Scientific Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 2013, p. 2285 (★ selected for Magna Cum Laude Award).

Karaman MM, Nencka AS, Rowe DB: Temporal Processing of fMRI Data Induces Functional Correlations and Potentially Alters Functional Activations. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 21st Scientific Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 2013.

Bruce, IP, Karaman MM, Rowe DB: Artificial Correlations Induced by SENSE and GRAPPA Corrupt fcMRI Conclusions. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 21st Scientific Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 2013.

Karaman MM, Bruce IP, Rowe DB: Incorporating Relaxivities to More Accurately Reconstruct Magnetic Resonance Images. The Sixth International Workshop on Statistical Analysis of Neural Data (SAND6), Pittsburgh, PA, 2012.

   Invited Talks

Non-Gaussian Diffusion MRI for Assessing Tumor Tissue Microstructures. Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, March 2018.


Differentiating Low- and High-Grade Pediatric Brain Tumors Using a non-Gaussian Diffusion Imaging Model. AAPM Spring Midwest Chapter Meeting, Lombard, IL, April 2015 (★ selected as the second best talk at the Young Investigator Symposium).


Improving fMRI Activation and MR Reconstruction via Incorporation of MR Relaxivities, and Examining the Statistical Effects of Spatiotemporal Processing of fMRI and fcMRI Data. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, June 2014.


Improving fMRI Activation and MR Reconstruction via Incorporation of MR Relaxivities, and Examining the Statistical Effects of Spatiotemporal Processing of fMRI and fcMRI Data. Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, April 2014.


Improving fMRI Activation and MR Reconstruction via Incorporation of MR Relaxivities, and Examining the Statistical Effects of Spatiotemporal Processing on Functional Correlations and Activations. Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, April 2014.


Quantification and Utilization of the Statistical Effects of Spatiotemporal Processing of fcMRI and fMRI data in Computing Functional Connectivity and Cognitive Brain Activation. Forward Thinking Poster Session and Colloquy, Marquette University, December 2013.


Improving fMRI Activation and Image Reconstruction via Incorporation of MR Relaxivities, and Examining the Statistical Effects of Temporal Processing on Functional Correlations and Activations. Center for Biomedical Imaging and Statistics, Emory University, August 2013.


A Statistical fMRI Model for Differential T₂* Contrast Incorporating T₁ and T₂* of Gray Matter; Workshop on Brain Image Analysis. University of Wisconsin Madison, May 2013.