Abstract: A surface coil for a nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus has a number of conductor sections arranged relative to each other. These sections can be connected to one another to a reception unit by employing switches to enclose a preferable conductor geometry to obtain a localized image. The active coil segments form reception loops of various size and/or position. Every possible reception loop which may be created by activating various segments contains both a first variable capacitance and a second variable capacitance serving as a serial connection between the reception loop and the signal line or the signal reference line. Such an arrangement allows for activation of individual coil segments which are tuned to the resonance frequency of the nuclear magnetic resonant apparatus and which are adapted to the impedance of the input lines of the evaluation unit.