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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: NMR Biomed. 2020 Apr 29:e4309. doi: 10.1002/nbm.4309

TABLE 1.

Broad categories for groups of metabolites and brain volumes over which they can be detected at different field strengths and example clinical applications. Metabolites marked with an asterisk are best observed at ≥7T

Target metabolites Methods Field strength Example clinical applications
NAA, Cr, Cho Long TE, large FOV 3D volume 1.5 and 3 T

  • Brain tumor treatment planning, biopsy guidance

  • Neocortical epilepsy localization

  • Traumatic brain injury
NAA, Cr, Cho, Lac Long TE, 3D volume with suppression of subcutaneous lipids 1.5 and 3 T

  • Mitochondrial disorders

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Brain tumor evaluation
NAA, Cr, Cho, Glu, Gln, mI, Lac Short TE, volume-selected 2D or 3D All

  • Psychiatric disorders

  • Neurodegenerative diseases

  • Brain tumor grading

  • Abscess vs. primary tumor and necrosis
GABA, GSH, 2HG, etc. Spectral editing with volume-selected 2D 3 and 7 T

  • Psychiatric disorders

  • Studies on aging

  • Studies on pain

  • Brain tumor diagnosis

  • Brain tumor treatment planning (e.g. 2HG)
NAA, Cr, Cho, Glu, mI, Gln*, NAAG*, GSH*, GABA* FID, 2D (multi) slice or 3D volume with high spatial resolution 3, 7 and 9.4 T

  • MS

  • Epilepsy

  • Neurodegenerative diseases

  • Psychiatric disorders