Deuterated metabolic water precursor for detecting and treating diseased tissue

A method of treating aberrant mitochondrial function associated with cancer or ischemia in a sample region in a subject comprising:

• administering deuterated glucose or deuterated glucose precursor to the subject;
• measuring directly and simultaneously in vivo by deuterium magnetic resonance (DMR), rates of deuterated water formation and deuterated glucose or deuterated glucose precursor consumption in the sample region within the subject, wherein measurement by DMR comprises acquiring DMR image data sets for the sample region;
• comparing the rates of measured deuterated water formation and deuterated glucose or deuterated glucose precursor consumption in the sample region to a control value to determine a rate of metabolic deuterated water formation, wherein a difference between the rates of measured deuterated water formation and deuterated glucose or deuterated glucose precursor consumption in the sample region compared to the control value is indicative of the aberrant mitochondrial function associated with the cancer or ischemia;
• and
• treating the subject having aberrant mitochondrial function with a therapy for the cancer or ischemia.