We used ¹⁷O NMR imaging techniques to measure the H₂¹⁷O concentration in a 0.8‐ml voxel in the cat brain following injection of an arterial bolus of enriched H₂¹⁷O and during inhalation of enriched ¹⁷O₂. We also measured the H₂¹⁷O concentration in arterial blood during ¹⁷O₂ inhalation. The data from the first measurement were used to calculate the blood flow in the voxel. The data from all three measurements were combined to calculate the oxygen consumption in the voxel. The values of cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption calculated with ¹⁷O NMR techniques agree reasonably well with values calculated for a similar region of the cat brain using autoradiographic techniques. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.