An Integrated/Radiofrequency Wireless Neonatal Coil Array with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for Clock Synchronization in MRI

Motivation: Wireless clock synchronization must be implemented to achieve a wireless MRI receive coil architecture. Goal(s): Our goal was to implement atomic clock timing via global navigation satellites signals (GNSS) to the receive coil in the scanner for high precision clock correction and synchronization. Approach: We performed benchtop measurements to measure the precision of clock correction achievable with GNSS and precision time protocol (PTP), as well as modified an iRFW coil to receive these GNSS signal from within the scanner bore. Results: Bench-top clock measurements showed nanosecond precision time-synchronization using PTP-GNSS, and the iRFW-GNSS successfully acquired atomic clock time signals within the scanner bore. Impact: The iRFW-GNSS coil design can perform the wireless transfer MRI data and clock-syntonization regardless of scanner platform allowing for wide spread adoption of wireless MRI for new and existing scanners.