Systems, devices, and methods for tracking and compensating for patient motion during a medical imaging scan

A motion compensation system for tracking and compensating for patient motion during a medical imaging scan, the motion compensation system comprising:

• an optical marker comprising an optically visible pattern, the optical marker configured to be attached to an object being tracked, the optically visibly pattern comprising one or more reference points surrounded by a plurality of concentric elliptical shapes defining each of the one or more reference points;
• a first optical detector configured to generate a first digital image of the optically visible pattern;
• a second optical detector configured to generate a second digital image of the optically visible pattern;
• a tracking engine configured to determine a pose of the object in six degrees of freedom by analyzing the first and second images;
• and
• a controller interface configured to generate tracking information based on the pose and to electronically transmit the tracking information to a scanner controller to enable compensation within a medical imaging scanner for object motion,
• wherein the first optical detector and the second optical detector are attached to a head coil configured to be used in conjunction with the medical imaging scanner,
• wherein the tracking engine and controller interface comprise a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.