An MR imaging scheme for dark blood cardiac images acquired simultaneously in end diastolic and end systolic phases, in breath-hold times, is presented. The sequence consists of a magnetization preparation period followed by two segmented k-space acquisitions. Image quality was investigated with respect to different sequence parameters (optimal values are indicated in brackets): (a) echo time (TE)/repetition time (TR)/ flip angle (FA) (3/6.2 msec/20 degrees); (b) number of lines/ segments in the acquisition window (11 lines/segment); (c) location of acquisition windows and inversion time; and (d) thickness of slice "reinverted" during preparation (1.53 times the acquisition slice thickness). The image quality of the basal slices at end systole was critically dependent on the last parameter. High quality short axis views of the heart, with good blood signal suppression, were acquired with the optimized sequence on four volunteers from apex to base at two phases in 10 breath-holds.