In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for generating an approximated trace-weighted MR image of a subject, at least three diffusion-weighted MR images of the subject are created, based on different diffusion encoding directions and diffusion gradient fields with essentially equal diffusion encoding strengths. A weighting factor is determined by an optimization method based on spatial inhomogeneities of the diffusion gradient fields for each image point of the at least three diffusion-weighted MR images. Based on the weighting factors, the at least three diffusion-weighted MR images are combined to generate the approximated trace-weighted MR image. Furthermore, an ADC map is determined based on approximated trace-weighted images and the effective diffusion encoding strength. Furthermore, a trace-weighted MR image is synthesized with nominal diffusion encoding strength based on a trace-weighted image with effective diffusion encoding strength.