Control of a wireless sensor using the pulse sequence for prospective motion correction in brain MRI

Purpose To synchronize and pass information between a wireless motion-tracking device and a pulse sequence and show how this can be used to implement customizable navigator interleaving schemes that are part of the pulse sequence design. Methods The device tracks motion by sampling the voltages induced in 3 orthogonal pickup coils by the changing gradient fields. These coils were modified to also detect RF-transmit events using a 3D RF-detection circuit. The device could then detect and decode a set RF signatures while ignoring excitations in the parent pulse sequence. A set of unique RF signatures were then paired with a collection of navigators and used to trigger readouts on the wireless device synchronous to the pulse sequence execution. Navigator interleaving schemes were then demonstrated in 3D RF-spoiled gradient echo, T-1-FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) PROPELLER (periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction), and T-2-FLAIR PROPELLER pulse sequences. Results Excitations in the parent pulse sequences were successfully rejected and the RF signatures successfully decoded. For the 3D gradient echo sequence, distortions were removed by interleaving flipped polarity navigators and taking the difference between consecutive readouts. The impact on scan duration was reduced by 54% by breaking up the navigators into smaller parts. Successful motion correction was performed using the PROPELLER pulse sequences in 3 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners without modifications to the device hardware or software. Conclusion The proposed RF signature-based triggering scheme enables complex interactions between the pulse sequence and a wireless device. Thus, enabling prospective motion correction that is repeatable, versatile, and minimally invasive with respect to hardware setup.