The invention relates to a magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus
comprising an electrical coil system (17) for transmitting and receiving
a radio-frequency (RF) magnetic field from an examination volume (3) of
the MRI apparatus. The electrical coil system (17) comprises at least one
surface coil (35) which extends substantially in a plane. The surface
coil is used for transmitting and/or receiving a RF magnetic field which
is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the surface
coil (35). The surface coil (35) has a main coil axis (37). When the MRI
apparatus is in use, the main coil axis (37) extends substantially
parallel to a main magnetic field in the examination volume (3) of the
MRI apparatus. On both sides of the main coil axis (37), the surface coil
(35) comprises an electrically conducting element (39) which extends
substantially parallel to the main coil axis (37). To provide a surface
coil (35) which transmits more homogeneous RF magnetic fields and/or has
a more homogeneous sensitivity for received RF magnetic fields than known
surface coils, at least one of the electrically conducting elements (39)
of the surface coil (35) comprises at least two electric conductors (41).
With respect to their distance to the main coil axis (37), these electric
conductors (41) are positioned at a relatively short distance from each
other. In the plane of the surface coil (35), the electric conductors
(41)extend substantially parallel to the main coil axis (37) of the
surface coil (35).