A radio-frequency coil assembly (18), for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system (10), includes a plurality of coil elements (18n). The coil elements (18n) are connected to a decoupling network (40) which includes a plurality of decoupling elements (40n,x) connected (via transmission lines) to pairs of coil elements (18n, 18x) at corresponding ports (64n,64x) from which the coil can be fed. The decoupling elements (40n,x) compensate for mutual coupling between pairs of corresponding coil elements. An inductive coupling loop (51n), with a constant or adjustable mutual inductance, inductively couples the associated coil element (18n) to the corresponding decoupling network port (64n). Transmission lines (52n) electrically connect each inductive coupling loop (51n) to the decoupling network (40) at the corresponding port (64n). Each transmission line (52n) has an electrical length of kλ/2 where k=0, 1, 2, 3 . . . and λ is a wavelength of the excited and/or received resonance signals inside the transmission line.