The present invention relates to magnets and to magnetic resonance imaging systems. The magnet is open with magnetic coils arranged in quadrant, separated about two perpendicular planes, a midplane and a plane of reflection, and wherein the windings are configured such that, in operation, current flow is symmetrical about the plane of reflection and anti-symmetrical about the midplane, to produce a nett magnetic field at the center in a direction perpendicular to the plane of reflection.