A magnet (7) for use in an apparatus (1) for performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a patient's head is an asymmetric magnet (7) comprising a plurality of coils (45, 46, 47) that are aligned along a cylindrical axis (29) to provide a magnetic field on the cylindrical axis (29). The magnet (7) has a patient end (23) arranged to be positioned adjacent or against a patient's shoulders with the patient's shoulders outside the magnet (7). The magnet has a recess (27) for receipt of the patient's head and extending into the magnet (7) from the patient end (23). The magnet (7) is configured to provide an imaging volume (35) that is positioned along the cylindrical axis (29) of the magnet (7) in the recess (27), and at least a major part of the imaging volume (35) has a substantially linear non-zero magnetic field gradient along the cylindrical axis (29).