Microcontrollers in the MR scanner: An in-depth characterization of the performance tradeoff

Motivation: Microcontrollers are practical tools in many MRI experiments, however, mutual interactions can impact microcontroller and MRI performance. So far, no in-depth characterization of these interactions has been conducted. Goal(s): Characterizing simultaneously the functionality of microcontrollers in the magnet's isocenter and the MR imaging performance. Approach: The functionality of two communicating Raspberry Pi Picos is tested under high-RF and high-gradient sequences, and the impact of different microcontroller configurations on image SNR is analyzed. Results: Removing the DC-DC converter from both used microcontroller boards and disabling UART communication to an external computer help preserve MR image SNR. MR scans only slightly impact microcontroller functionality. Impact: This work presents an in-depth characterization of the mutual impact of microcontrollers and MR imaging. Lessons learned from these experiments will help the future implementation of setups employing microcontrollers, e.g. operation of sensors and actuators.