All roads were leading to Manchester: our BNMS Diamond 60th Anniversary Celebration

The BNMS 60th Anniversary Spring Meeting in Manchester (20th–22nd April) was a truly landmark occasion, a celebration of six decades of innovation, leadership, and multiprofessional excellence in UK Nuclear Medicine. Thank you to all who joined us, contributed, and helped create an atmosphere of shared learning, pride, and community.

This year’s meeting was not only a scientific success but also a deeply meaningful moment to reflect on our history, our people, and the memories that have shaped our Society.

A Warm Manchester Welcome

Our celebrations began in the beautiful surroundings of Manchester Hall, where our Local Welcome Committee greeted members with warmth and enthusiasm.

Dr Mary Prescott opened the evening with a gracious welcome and introduced the committee, followed by Dr Heather Williams’ inspiring reflections in “Good evening, Manchester! How are we this evening” and Dr Ian Armstrong’s introduction to the scientific programme.

Other local committee members, Greg James, Prof Richard Lawson, Dr Parthiban Arumugam, Robert Shields  and Beverly Ellis, were also there to welcome colleagues. The atmosphere was vibrant, the conversations lively, and the substantial canapés very much appreciated.

We were honoured to have the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Carmine Grimshaw, officially open the meeting. As the ceremonial head of the city, the Lord Mayor represents Manchester’s communities, diversity, and civic values, qualities that resonate strongly with our own professional community.

To mark both our 60th anniversary and our international recognition as the SNMMI Highlight Country, we premiered a commemorative video celebrating our journey, our people, and our impact. View the video here.

A special version of this video will also be shown at the SNMMI Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles.

Manchester holds a unique place in the history of our field. It was here that George de Hevesy, later awarded the Nobel Prize, conducted his pioneering tracer experiment while working in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory.

This story came alive during Monday’s plenary session, with Professor Richard Lawson recounting the early tracer work, followed by Professor Phil Blower taking us through the exhilarating journey from nuclear to molecular imaging and theranostics.

The meeting was filled with memorable moments, including exceptional scientific lectures, industry symposia, the International Session, the President’s Reception, the Innovative Team Award, the ceremonial cake cutting, and, of course, the Fun Run—where it was wonderful to see so many of you reconnecting and celebrating together.

Our Awards Ceremony during the dinner was a true highlight. The moment I entered the room where the ceremony was held at the Edwardian Hotel was one of the happiest of my life. Seeing so many of you celebrating together made it a truly special occasion. The atmosphere was extraordinary, filled with a shared sense of pride in the achievements and dedication across our community.

Professor Isky Gordon was awarded the President’s Medal for his longstanding and outstanding contribution to paediatric nuclear medicine, and for his wider vision and commitment to improving the lives of children and families worldwide.

Dr Charlotte Fowler was awarded the Roll of Honour in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to nuclear medicine education and her outstanding professional leadership, extending far beyond her clinical work.

Professor John Buscombe and Dr David Williams were awarded Honorary Membership in recognition of their exceptional service and leadership within the BNMS and the wider specialty.

Carla Abreu received the RTN Award, celebrating her excellence in nuclear medicine practice. 

Professor Andy Irwin, who was unable to attend the ceremony, will receive his Norman Veall Medal at the upcoming meeting in Swansea.

This year also saw the establishment of two new prizes:
• The Isky Gordon Best Paediatric Presentation Prize
• The John Buscombe Best International Poster Prize

It was also a special occasion to celebrate the remarkable contributions of our past presidents, who were awarded Past Presidents’ Medals, individuals whose leadership, vision, and dedication have shaped the Society we are so proud of today. 

The after-party provided a wonderful opportunity for networking, celebration, and, for many, time on the dance floor.

Founded in 1966 in the Prince Alfred Pub in London by four visionary clinicians, Steve Garnett, David Keeling, Ralph McCready, and Edward Williams, the BNMS has been central to the development of nuclear medicine in the UK. As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we are also honoured to be the Highlight Country at the 2026 SNMMI Annual Meeting.

We were also honoured to welcome Stefano Fanti, one of the most widely published physicians in nuclear medicine, who delivered the Annual Lecture.

The Presidential Session, presented by Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians, was a standout feature. Another highlight was the joint session between the British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS) and the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), led by Stephen Harden, President of the Royal College of Radiologists.

International session featuring leading experts in nuclear medicine from around the world further enriched the programme and was among the key highlights of the meeting.

A detailed report on the scientific and educational programme will be published in Nuclear Medicine Communications, and I encourage you to read this comprehensive overview.

My sincere thanks go to our Scientific and Education Committee Chairs, Dr Ian Armstrong, Dr Simon Hughes, and Hannah Chandler, as well as all SEC members, for delivering such an outstanding programme.

My special thanks also to our CEO, Charlotte Weston, and the BNMS team, Caroline Oxley, Angelica Spina, and Lisa Wilshere, as well as to my fellow officers: Immediate Past President Jilly Croasdale, Amy Eccles, and Charnie Kalirai, for making this meeting possible. The amount of work going behind the scene is enormous and highly appreciated.

Many thanks to those stepping down from their roles. Jilly Croasdale, our Immediate Past President, whose contribution over the past 16 years on Council has been extraordinary. She has led with warmth, clarity, and resilience, especially through challenges such as the molybdenum shortage. I would also like to recognise Dr Ian Armstrong who, after a decade of leadership on the Scientific and Education Committee, has made a lasting impact on our scientific programme and helped shape a truly multi-professional, inclusive scientific meeting. Jilly and Ian will be greatly missed on Council and the SEC, but their dedication will continue to shape BNMS for years to come.

I am delighted to welcome Dr Stewart Redman as our President Elect for 2026–2027. His term as President will commence after the Belfast meeting concludes next year, and he will serve from 2027 to 2029.

I very much look forward to serving you as your President for one more year and to working closely with Stewart during this important period of transition and continued growth for our Society.

In the weeks leading up to Manchester, our first Sussex patient treated with PSMA therapy as a part of STAMPEDE 2 trial received significant positive media attention.

ITV Meridian filmed in our department, and the story was featured on BBC South, Sussex local news, and ITV Meridian Good Morning Britain.
Prostate cancer should not be a killer, and we are making tremendous progress!

Ahead of the Manchester meeting, there were also several memorable events. We were well represented at the EANM National Delegates Assembly in Vienna. In my role as a member of the Members’ Society Committee and as a National Delegate, I presented the fifth pillar of the MSC Roadmap, focusing on strengthening collaboration between countries, an area of growing importance for our specialty.

At the international meeting in Novi Sad, organised by Prof Jasna Mihailović, I spoke on FDG PET CT in lung cancer, and Dr Gopinath Gnanasegaran presented on neuroendocrine tumours. It was a valuable opportunity to meet colleagues, exchange ideas, and learn from one another.

We continue to build our archive of Past Presidents’ videos, an important part of our 60th anniversary celebrations: Dr Brian Neilly , Dr John Franks – videos now available, next recording: Dr Phil Robinson.

Our April live webinar with Past Presidents, featuring Prof Michael Maisey and Prof Richard Graham, with contributions from Dr Amy Eccles, was a tremendous success. The session explored the remarkable journey of Nuclear Medicine and PET in the UK, from its earliest days to its modern clinical impact. If you were unable to join live, I warmly encourage you to watch the recording in your own time.

Our strength lies in the diversity of our membership. Our patients and members remain at the heart of BNMS. Together, we continue to advance standards in education, research, and clinical practice across the UK and beyond.

We look forward to continuing our anniversary celebrations on BNMS Birthday, 19 July, and to our upcoming Autumn BNMS Meeting in Swansea (2026). The next live webinar is planned for 5 May, focusing on osteoporosis.

If you left Manchester with just one thing, besides new knowledge, I hope it is a collaboration that changes something: for your practice, for our community, and ultimately for the patients who depend on us.

Prof Sabina Dizdarevic
BNMS President