A method and apparatus for generating a T1 or T2 map for a three-dimensional (3D) image volume of a subject. The method includes acquiring first, second, and third 3D images of the image volume of the subject. Signal evolutions of voxels through the first to third 3D images by comparing voxel intensity levels of corresponding voxel locations in the first, second, and third 3D images. A simulation dictionary representing the signal evolutions for a number of different tissue parameter combinations is obtained. The T1 or T2 map is generated by comparing the determined signal evolutions to entries in the dictionary and by finding, for each of the determined signal evolutions, the entry in the dictionary that best matches the determined signal evolution.