1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising: a magnet system configured to generate a polarizing magnetic field about at least a region of interest (ROI) of a subject arranged in the MRI system; a plurality of gradient coils configured to apply a gradient field with respect to the polarizing magnetic field; a radio frequency (RF) system configured to apply RF excitation fields to the subject and a acquire MR image data therefrom; and a computer programmed to control the plurality of gradient coils and the RF system to perform the following steps: a) apply an RF excitation pulse to the ROI in the presence of a first slice selective gradient; b) apply a refocusing RF pulse to the ROI in the presence of a second slice selective gradient; c) apply a readout gradient to acquire a echo signal from the ROI; d) apply a saturation module to the ROI including an RF pulse configured to saturate both transverse and longitudinal magnetization in the ROI; e) enforce a predetermined time period (TR 0 ) selected to elapse between the RF pulse of the saturation module and a subsequent application of the RF excitation pulse during a repetition of steps a) through d); f) repeat steps a) through e) a plurality of times; and g) reconstruct an image of the ROI using the acquired echo signals.