In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, a magnetization of nuclear spins in a subject is prepared in multiple preparation modules of an acquisition sequence. MR signals are acquired with at least one imaging module of the sequence. Spoiler gradient fields are generated in the multiple preparation modules in order to affect a transverse magnetization of the spins. The spoiler gradient fields that are applied in at least two different preparation modules are spatially varied along different directions. Spoiler gradient moments of the spoiler gradient fields are selected so that, for at least one of three orthogonal spatial directions, a weighted sum of the spoiler gradient moments that are applied along this spatial direction satisfies a threshold condition.