A fast and robust methodology for in vivo T2 mapping is presented. The approach is based on the partially spoiled steady state free precession technique recently proposed by Bieri et al. (Magn Reson Med 2011). The accuracy of this method was demonstrated in simulations and phantom experiments. Variations in skeletal muscle T2 relaxation time have been correlated with cell damage and inflammatory response. Nonetheless, the lack of easily implementable, fast, accurate and reproducible methods has hampered the adoption of T2 measurement as a noninvasive tool for skeletal muscle characterization. The applicability of the partially spoiled steady state free precession method for tissue characterization in muscle disease is illustrated in this work by several examples. Quantitative MRI, in particular T2 mapping based on partially spoiled steady state free precession acquisitions, might provide objective markers of muscle damage and degenerative changes, and an alternative to serial muscle biopsies. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.