Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for imaging a tissue in a subject that involves administering to the subject a composition comprising deuterium-labeled glycolytic or fatty acid substrate and imaging the subject with deuterium magnetic resonance imaging (DMI) to detect hydrogen-deuterium oxide (HDO) in tissues of the subject. The disclosed methods can be used to detect changes in metabolic activity in a tissue. The disclosed methods can also be used to detect cancers.