A MRI system includes a RF coil assembly, a gradient coil assembly disposed around the RF coil assembly, the gradient coil assembly including a RF shield, and a superconducting magnet assembly disposed around the gradient coil assembly, the superconducting magnet assembly including a vessel containing a plurality of superconducting coils. The RF coil assembly includes a plurality of RF coil elements applied on an outer surface of a hollow cylindrical RF coil former. The plurality of RF coil elements includes a plurality of rungs and a plurality of ground patches that are connected. The plurality of ground patches are spaced apart from the RF shield with a dielectric material in between, and the plurality of ground patches are capacitively coupled to the RF shield. The RF coil assembly is a TEM RF body coil.