Open-source magnetic resonance imaging: Improving access, science, and education through global collaboration.

Abstract

Open-source practices and resources in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have increased substantially in recent years. This trend started with software and data being published open-source and, more recently, open-source hardware designs have become increasingly available. These developments towards a culture of sharing and establishing nonexclusive global collaborations have already improved the reproducibility and reusability of code and designs, while providing a more inclusive approach, especially for low-income settings. Community-driven standardization and documentation efforts are further strengthening and expanding these milestones. The future of open-source MRI is bright and we have just started to discover its full collaborative potential. In this review we will give an overview of open-source software and open-source hardware projects in human MRI research.