A method for providing an estimated 3D T2 map for magnetic resonance imaging using a Double-Echo Steady-State (DESS) sequence for a volume of an object in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. A DESS scan of the volume is provided by the MRI system. Signals S1 and S2 are acquired by the MRI system. Signals S1 and S2 are used to provide a T2 map for a plurality of slices of the volume, comprising determining repetition time (TR), echo time (TE), flip angle α, and an estimate of the longitudinal relaxation time (T1), and wherein the DESS scan has a spoiler gradient with an amplitude G and a duration τ and ignoring echo pathways having spent more than two repetition times in the transverse plane.