Building on 60 Years of Excellence

July has been another rewarding month for our Society, highlighting our continued commitment to education, collaboration and our shared ambition to advance nuclear medicine for the benefit of our patients.

Happy 60th Birthday BNMS – 19 July

This month marked a particularly special milestone as the British Nuclear Medicine Society celebrated its 60th Birthday on 19 July.

For six decades, BNMS has brought together clinicians, scientists, radiographers, technologists, nurses, physicists, pharmacists, researchers and industry partners, all united by a common purpose: improving patient care through excellence in nuclear medicine. As our specialty continues to evolve, so too does our Society. We are also committed to broadening our membership further by welcoming administrative colleagues and healthcare support workers, recognising the invaluable contribution they make to delivering high-quality patient care and supporting our multidisciplinary teams.

As we celebrate this important anniversary, we should also look to the future with confidence. Nuclear medicine is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history, with rapid advances in molecular imaging, theranostics, artificial intelligence, molecular radiotherapy and personalised medicine transforming the care we provide. As a Society, we are also beginning to develop our 5–10-year strategic plan, ensuring that BNMS continues to lead, support innovation, strengthen education and research, and meet the evolving needs of our members and, most importantly, our patients.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making BNMS the vibrant, forward-looking Society it is today.

Education, Education, Education

One of the highlights of July was the launch of our new BNMS Molecular Radiotherapy (MRT) Webinar Series.

As many of you know, molecular radiotherapy is undergoing a period of remarkable growth. We are seeing an expanding range of radiopharmaceutical therapies, increasing evidence supporting their clinical benefit, and a rapidly growing number of patients who may benefit from these treatments.

With this exciting progress comes an equally important responsibility- to ensure these therapies are delivered safely, effectively and consistently across the UK.

The webinar series has been developed jointly by BNMS and its Molecular Radiotherapy Consortium to support this journey. Our aim is to share practical experience, promote best practice and encourage collaboration between centres as we continue to develop and expand molecular radiotherapy services across the UK.

It was a pleasure to welcome so many colleagues to our inaugural webinar, expertly organised by Professor Jon Wadsley and co-chaired by Professor Glenn Flux.

Professor Wadsley opened the series with an excellent presentation entitled: “Clinical Benefits of Dosimetry – A Clinician’s Perspective and Benefits for Patients.”

He was followed by Dr Shelley Redgate, Consultant Clinical Scientist and Medical Physics Expert at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who delivered an outstanding presentation on: “Practicalities of Setting up an MRT Dosimetry Service – A Physics Perspective.”

Both presentations were exceptional, and Prof Glenn Flux chaired a stimulating discussion with 3 polling questions from him and numerous questions from participants, highlighting the tremendous enthusiasm for this evolving field.

The enthusiasm and engagement throughout the webinar clearly demonstrated the appetite within our community for continued education, and I very much look forward to the forthcoming webinar in the series on 15 September 2026.

Showcasing Nuclear Medicine to Future Radiologists

I was also delighted to represent our specialty as a speaker in the Radiology Special Interest Showcase Series 2, Session 6: Nuclear Medicine & Breast Radiology.

My sincere thanks to Dr Ayo Oluboyede, Chair of the Radiology Resident Doctors’ Forum (RRDF), and Dr Honida Mansour, Vice-Chair of the RRDF, for expertly chairing the discussions.

It was a real privilege to showcase the exciting developments taking place in nuclear medicine, discuss recent advances in molecular imaging and theranostics, and introduce the diverse career opportunities available within our specialty. The enthusiasm and engagement from the radiology residents were inspiring, and I hope many will consider nuclear medicine as part of their future careers.

Congratulations and Awards

July also provides an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our colleagues. My warmest congratulations go to Dr Kshama Wechalekar on receiving the 2026 American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) Gold Medal for Global Impact in Nuclear Cardiology.

The Gold Medal is one of ASNC’s highest honours and recognises individuals whose leadership and contributions have had a major and enduring impact on advancing nuclear cardiology worldwide. It celebrates those who have expanded the global reach of the specialty through education, training, clinical innovation, research, mentorship and professional leadership.

As highlighted by Professor Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, Chair of the ASNC Nominating Committee, Kshama’s selection reflects her tremendous influence on nuclear cardiology both within the United Kingdom and internationally. Through her leadership in nuclear medicine, pioneering work in cardiac PET and advanced nuclear imaging, and extraordinary commitment to education and international collaboration, she has advanced clinical practice while inspiring colleagues across countries and continents.

The Gold Medal will be presented during ASNC 2026 in Las Vegas this September. This is a truly exceptional and richly deserved honour.

On behalf of the British Nuclear Medicine Society, I extend our sincere congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. We are immensely proud to see UK colleagues receiving such prestigious international honours.

BNMS Autumn Meeting – Abstract Deadline: 3 August

As we moved into the second half of the year, preparations continue for our forthcoming educational meetings and activities. It is encouraging to see such strong engagement across our Society, from trainees embarking on their careers to experienced colleagues leading international collaborations. Education, research and clinical excellence remain at the heart of everything we do.

I would particularly like to thank Professor Neil Hartman and Miss Monica Martins, who are leading preparations for the BNMS Autumn Meeting, taking place on 24–25 September at the magnificent Brangwyn Hall, Swansea.

Situated within Swansea Guildhall overlooking Swansea Bay, Brangwyn Hall is one of Wales’ most iconic conference venues. It is renowned for housing the spectacular British Empire Panels painted by Frank Brangwyn and provides a wonderful setting for our meeting.

Thursday’s programme will cover general nuclear medicine, advances in molecular imaging, radiopharmacy, solid-state detector technology, bone densitometry and the future of bone health.

The BNMS Society Dinner will take place on Thursday evening in the Brangwyn Hall, with musical entertainment.

Friday will focus on therapeutic nuclear medicine and 3D imaging, with an opportunity to visit the new Swansea PET-CT Centre currently under construction.

We look forward to welcoming you to Swansea for another excellent BNMS meeting. I would encourage everyone to submit their abstracts before the deadline of 3 August and join us for what promises to be another excellent BNMS meeting.

Looking Ahead

Finally, thank you to all our members for your continued support, enthusiasm and commitment to BNMS.

Whether you are contributing to delivering clinical services, research, teaching, supporting patients or helping to organise Society activities, your work makes a real difference every single day. The future of nuclear medicine has never been brighter, and together we will continue to drive innovation, strengthen education, expand research and improve patient care across the UK and beyond.

I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing many of you at our forthcoming meetings and events.

With best wishes

Prof Sabina Dizdarevic
BNMS President