Comparison of neurochemical quantification at 3T vs. 7T with an advanced MRS protocol under the same physiological status

Motivation: As more clinical MRS studies migrate from 3T to 7T, comparing neurochemical quantification under the same physiological status is of interest. Goal(s): Our goal was to investigate whether there are systematic biases in neurochemical concentrations obtained with the identical advanced MRS protocol on 3T vs. 7T. Approach: Seventeen participants underwent an advanced MRS protocol at 3T and 7T during euglycemic clamps. Results: While most of the mean metabolite levels were comparable at 3T vs. 7T, a few metabolites displayed systematic differences, notably gamma-aminobutyric acid, glucose, taurine and phosphoethanolamine. Utilizing total creatine ratios did not alleviate but exacerbated the biases. Impact: Water referenced MRS quantification results in similar neurochemical profiles at 3T vs. 7T, with the exception of a few important metabolites. Selection of the magnetic field for a clinical study should depend on the metabolite-of-interest.