MRSeqStudio: MRI Sequence Design and Simulation as a Service in a Free and Open-Source Web Platform

TL;DR

MRSeqStudio tackles the need for accessible, accurate MRI sequence design and simulation by unifying a browser-based editor with the physics-based KomaMRI engine in the cloud. The system enables end-to-end workflows—design, visualization, and simulation of sequences within a single platform without local installation. It supports motion-inclusive simulations and multiple visualization views to aid education and research. This open-source, cloud-enabled service lowers entry barriers and accelerates MRI protocol development and training.

Abstract

We present MRSeqStudio, a new all-in-one web-based tool for MRI sequence development and simulation, with the physics-based simulator KomaMRI running at the back-end and our own sequence designer at the front-end. It combines accessibility, interactivity and technical flexibility, within an environment suitable for both education and research. Our tool provides MR sequence design and simulation as a service, with no local installation needed by the user; alternatively, the code is publicly available on GitHub, for users who wish to deploy the application on their own server.

Figures (7)

• Figure 1: General operation of the web application. The web browser is responsible for both rendering the front-end and acting as an HTTP client to communicate with the server. The HTTP server, in turn, provides a REST API to the web browser for accessing the back-end functionalities. Blue arrows represent client-side requests; green arrows represent server responses.
• Figure 2: Application main layout, which is divided into panels that ensure a clear separation of functionalities. The example shown corresponds to the design and simulation of a GE-EPI sequence on a 3D brain phantom.
• Figure 3: Screenshots of the application running in a mobile browser. The example corresponds to the design and simulation of a GRE-EPI sequence. The slice-selection gradient applied along the $x$-axis produces a sagittal slice on the 3D brain phantom. (a) Sequence editor. (b) Sequence diagram visualizer. (c) 3D Phantom visualizer. (d) Simulation result.
• Figure 4: Simulation results interface. The panel shows the history of simulations conducted by an specific user. These simulation results can be downloaded or deleted.
• Figure 5: Administrator panel of the application, which provides tools for user and resource management organized across three tabs. The first tab (left) enables CRUD operations ("Create, Read, Update, Delete") for users. The second tab (top right) allows inspection of sequences and simulation results generated by all users. The third tab (bottom right) displays usage statistics, such as the number of sequences used per day, simulations performed, and related metrics.