MRIllä

MRIllä is an open framework for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research and practice that combines standardized acquisition protocols, data formats, and quality assurance with a central data repository. The term is used to emphasize MRI-centric workflows and interoperability across research sites.

Purpose and scope: MRIlle aims to improve reproducibility and comparability of MRI studies by harmonizing parameter sets, metadata schemas, and processing pipelines; it supports multi-site studies, longitudinal cohorts, and clinical trials.

Components: A typical MRIllä implementation includes a calibrated acquisition protocol with recommended sequence parameters, a metadata model covering scanner type and field strength, subject information, and session timing, plus QA procedures and a software suite for preprocessing and analysis. Data are stored in open formats such as NIfTI and DICOM, with alignment to open standards like BIDS where applicable.

Applications: In neuroscience, MRIllä facilitates large-scale studies of brain structure and function. In radiology, it supports standardized reporting and cross-site research. In clinical trials, it enables harmonized imaging endpoints.

Adoption and challenges: Adoption depends on vendor cooperation, institutional resources, and privacy safeguards. Challenges include maintaining cross-vendor compatibility, keeping metadata up to date, and ensuring patient consent and data governance. Ongoing community governance and versioning are typically part of MRIllä.

History: The concept originated from an international collaboration in the early 2020s, with pilot deployments across academic centers and hospitals. Since then, several consortia have contributed to its development and documentation.