In a method for operating a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus, at least one first distortion-corrected MR image is displayed at a display screen, with a first selection symbol superimposed thereon for selection of a scan volume from which diagnostic MR data are to be subsequently acquired. A second MR image is also displayed, that is at least partially distorted, and which represents at least a part of the region encompassed by the first distortion-corrected MR image. The second MR image is superimposed with a second selection symbol that indicates the same scan volume defined by the first selection symbol, but in the second magnetic resonance image. The second selection symbol is then used by an operator to select the actual scan volume from which the diagnostic MR data will be acquired, and a magnetic resonance apparatus is operated to acquire the MR data from that selected scan volume.