The present invention provides a gradient coil assembly (122) for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system (110) comprising a set of inner coils (142) and a set of outer coils (144), which are concentrically arranged in respect to a common rotational axis of the set of inner and outer coils (142, 144), wherein the set of inner coils (142) and a set of outer coils (144) can be controlled to generate gradient magnetic fields within an inner space of the gradient coil assembly (122), and at least one coil (152, 154, 156) of the set of outer coils (144) is at least partially made of aluminum. The present invention further provides a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110) comprising the above magnetic gradient coil assembly (122). By replacing at least a part of one coil of the outer coils by aluminum, the gradient coil assembly (122) can be significantly improved in respect to cost and weight without reducing the accuracy in respect to the generation of diagnostic images based on magnetic resonance information. Accordingly, the outcome of an MR scan is not reduced. The outer coils usually contain about half the weight of the copper used for state of the art gradient coil assemblies.
