A local magnetic resonance (MR) radio frequency (RF) coil includes a plurality of housing sections that are separable and configured with mating surfaces that meet and engage each other to form an opening which receives a portion of subject anatomy for magnetic resonance imaging, a detachable connector, and a cable. Each housing section includes coil elements enclosed within each housing section which receive MR signals from the received portion of the subject anatomy, and external connectors connected to the coil elements co-located on an outside surface of each housing section and adjacent to the mating surfaces. The detachable connector connects to the external connectors of the housing sections. The cable conveys at least the received MR signals received by the coil elements.
