A line scan echo planar spectroscopic imaging (LSEPSI) sequence is presented which can rapidly produce 2D chemical shift imaging (CSI) data with minimal relaxation weighting and motion-related artifacts. The technique is based on successive "snapshot" 1D CSI acquisitions of individual tissue columns, and avoids T(1) saturation problems associated with the short TR periods needed for very rapid scanning with either conventional or echo planar-based 2D CSI methods. Potential applications include rapid fat/water spectral quantitation in the abdomen and internally referenced temperature monitoring for interventional procedures.