A magnetic resonance system (1) includes at least one radio frequency (RF) transmit coil (6), an RF transmitter (34), an anthropometric unit (28), and an adaptive SAR unit (40). The at least one radio frequency (RF) transmit coil (6) transmits measured RF power to excite and manipulate magnetic resonance in tissues of a subject (57) in an examination region. The RF transmitter (34) controls the amount of transmitted RF power based on a specific absorption rate (SAR) for an imaging sequence. The anthropometric unit (28) determines a mass of a portion of the subject which receives the transmitted RF power based on a determined total mass. The adaptive SAR unit (40) adjusts a selected scan sequence based on the SAR parameters determined from the measured transmitted RF power and a measured reflected power, achieved IB+I field, the mass of the portion of the subject which receives the transmitted RF power and applicable SAR parameter models stored in a SAR reference unit (46).
