Pulserver: an open-source Pulseq-based client-server framework for vendor agnostic, interactive MR sequence design

Motivation: Open-source vendor-agnostic sequence design frameworks (e.g., Pulseq) facilitate developing and sharing novel acquisition strategies but offer limited flexibility in prescription-time adjustments of imaging parameters (e.g., FOV, resolution) compared to vendor-proprietary toolkits. Goal(s): To provide an open-source, vendor-agnostic software architecture for interactive sequence design. Approach: We developed a high-level sequence representation based on Pulseq, enabling low-latency sequence design, along with a client-server architecture for interactive communication of imaging parameters from the scanner to the design server. Results: Our framework enabled interactive design and execution of a Pulseq-based sequence directly from the scanner interface. Importantly, no external hardware was required. Impact: Our framework bridges the low-access barrier of vendor-agnostic design frameworks like Pulseq with the interactive customizability of native vendor-provided sequences, enabling faster prototyping and deployment of novel techniques in clinical workflows.