Current options for clinical metabolic activity (MA) imaging are limited. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging have relatively poor resolution and require radioactive or hyperpolarized tracers. We have developed a novel MRI-based metabolic activity diffusion imaging (MADI) approach that has no contrast agent injection and offers improved resolution compared to 18FDG-PET and 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging.