Techniques are provided for selecting and configuring inductors for use in radio-frequency (RF) inductive filters within pacing/sensing leads of pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The filters are employed to reduce heating due to induced currents caused by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures or other sources of strong RF fields. In particular, techniques are provided for determining optimal inductance values by taking into account parasitic resistances and parasitic capacitances of the inductors. Tolerances of the inductive devices are also taken into account.