The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging system, to a magnetic resonance imaging method for operating a magnetic resonance imaging system and to a computer program for operating a magnetic resonance imaging system. In order to considerably reduce the number of cabling in a magnetic resonance imaging system a magnetic resonance imaging system (1) is suggested, the system comprising: an examination zone (5) arranged to receive a body for examination; magnetic field generating means (9, 10, 24) for generating a magnetic field in the examination zone (5); a receiving unit (14) located in the examination zone (5) or in the vicinity of the examination zone (5); an interface unit (17) located in the examination zone (5) or in the vicinity of the examination zone (5), and arranged separately from the receiving unit (14); and a signal processing unit (21) disposed at a location (2) remote from the receiving unit (14) and the interface unit (17); wherein the receiving unit (14) comprising a receiver (15) adapted to receive a spin resonance signal generated in the examination zone (5), and a transmitter (16) adapted to transmit the spin resonance signal to the interface unit (17); and wherein the interface unit (17) comprises a receiver (20) for receiving the spin resonance signals, an analog to digital converter (19) adapted to generate a digital signal in response to the received spin resonance signal, and a transmitter (20) for transmitting the digitized signal to the signal processing unit (21).