In a coherent magnetic resonance imaging method, a plurality of slices (70, 72; 170, 172) are each prepared (74, 76) in a steady spin state. Time domain multiplexed readouts (80, 82) are performed. Each readout acquires magnetic resonance data corresponding to one of the steady spin state slices. Radio frequency excitation pulses (120, 122) are interleaved with the time domain multiplexed readout pulses (102, 112) to maintain the steady spin states of the slices. The acquired magnetic resonance data are reconstructed (62) to produce reconstructed images corresponding to the plurality of slices.