The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging system and a corresponding method having a transmit phase and a receive phase. Further, the present invention relates to a detuning circuit and a corresponding detuning method for detuning an RF receive coil during the transmit phase in such a magnetic resonance imaging system. In high-field MRI systems the transmit mode operating frequency is higher than normal high breakdown voltage rectifiers can handle when they are used to forward bias a passive detuning circuit PIN diode switch. The proposed circuit uses a current-limiting capacitor (C5) in series with a fast (e.g. schottky) rectifier diode (V2) with a reverse breakdown voltage of e.g. 20 volts and a fast reverse recovery time to generate a DC current. The rectifying circuit is isolated from the PIN diode (V1) with a relatively high-value inductor (L2), which ensures that no harmful transient current spikes can flow from the PIN diode anode to the rectifying circuit. The inductor (L2) still passes and maintains the DC current generated by the rectifying circuit through the PIN diode, thus enabling the robust forward-biasing of the PIN-diode during transmit mode. The use of a fast (and thus low-power) rectifier results in less dissipation on the detuning circuit, and helps in fulfilling the surface temperature limits posed on receiver coils.