In a method for shimming a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (10), at least one of fat suppression and blood suppression is performed to suppress magnetic resonance from a corresponding at least one of fat and blood. First and second magnetic resonance echoes emanating from a generally columnar volume are measured. The measurements of the first and second magnetic resonance echoes (122, 124) are reconstructed (150) into corresponding first and second generally columnar projection images (152, 154). The first and second generally columnar projection images are combined (160) to produce a magnetic field profile (174) of the generally columnar volume. Selected magnetic field parameters are extracted (142) from the magnetic field profile. Shim currents are computed (180) from the selected magnetic field parameters. The shim currents are applied to magnetic field coils (16, 60).