BART Streams: Real‐Time Reconstruction Using a Modular Framework for Pipeline Processing

Purpose To create modular solutions for interactive real‐time MRI using reconstruction algorithms implemented in BART. Methods A new protocol for streaming of multidimensional arrays is presented and integrated into BART. The new functionality is demonstrated using examples for cardiac interactive real‐time MRI based on radial FLASH, where iterative reconstruction is combined with advanced features such as dynamic coil compression and gradient‐delay correction. We analyze the latency of the reconstruction and measure end‐to‐end latency of the full imaging process. Results Reconstruction pipelines with iterative reconstruction and advanced functionality were built in a modular way using scripting. Latency measurements demonstrate latency sufficient for interactive real‐time MRI, on the order of 30 ms for BART processing and network transfer time, or 200 ms for end‐to‐end latency including acquisition, vendor processing, and display. Conclusion With the new streaming capabilities, real‐time reconstruction pipelines can be assembled using BART in a flexible way, enabling rapid prototyping of advanced applications such as interactive real‐time MRI.