A magnetic gradient coil (110) for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100, 200) is actively shielded. The magnetic gradient coil is operable for generating a magnetic field (504). The magnetic field has a cylindrical axis of symmetry (130). The gradient coil has a length (132) parallel with the cylindrical axis of symmetry. The magnetic gradient coil has an outer surface (134). The magnetic field includes an external magnetic field outside of the outer surface. The external magnetic field has at least four reduced field regions (136, 138, 140, 142) along the length where the modulus of the magnetic field is less than the average of the modulus of the magnetic field along the length.