Abstract: A system and method for evaluating subjects using MRI and a contrast agent that overcomes the low sensitivity nature of previous detection methods is provided by using a 3D golden-angle-based radial sampling approach. In one configuration, direct detection of metabolic H217O generated from mitochondrial respiration may be imaged. Radial encoding allows for the use of ultra-short echo-time to compensate for signal loss due to the short T2 relaxation time of 17O and other contrast agents. In addition, the golden-ratio-based sampling scheme has the flexibility of enabling various undersampling schemes and retrospective selection of temporal resolution for dynamic imaging. A 3D radial sampling scheme may also give rise to additional SNR gain by further shortening the echo-time.