Institute of Nuclear Medicine

What Institute of Nuclear Medicine does

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine (INM) is a Hospital and University venture jointly operated by University College London Hospital (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust and University College London. It describes itself as London's Molecular Imaging Centre and the largest single site nuclear medicine department in the UK, serving 19,500+ patients in 2020 through NHS clinical pathways. INM delivers a portfolio of diagnostic imaging services including PET/CT, PET/MRI, SPECT/CT, conventional nuclear medicine scans, bone density (DEXA), and cardiac CT, supported by an onsite radiopharmacy and a research department. The institute was the first UK site to install PET/MRI technology in 2012 and operates one of the few clinical hybrid PET/MRI services in the country.

The institute's commercial model is structurally non-commercial: clinical revenue flows through NHS commissioning and tariffs, while research funding is sourced from grants (including European Commission FP7-HEALTH for the INSERT project), pharmaceutical and medical device industry collaborations (GSK, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, Theragnostics, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Cosmonio), and philanthropy via the ISOHOPE research charity (with prior support from Rosetrees Trust and Breast Cancer Now). Research-active dimensions include quantitative SPECT, PET image optimisation, molecular radiotherapy dosimetry, interstitial lung disease imaging with AI-assisted quantitative CT analysis (via Imbio), and the EC-funded INSERT SPECT/MRI hybrid system, described as the only device of its type. The institute also runs the UK's first long-term undergraduate Diagnostic Radiography placement in partnership with City, University of London, and contributes to IAEA-funded distance-assisted training programmes deployed across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

INM is not a venture-eligible commercial entity; it is a publicly funded clinical and academic department. Its customer base is essentially NHS-referred patients, with secondary stakeholder relationships being research sponsors, equipment vendors, and academic partners. The principal economic and strategic risks are NHS budget constraints, dependency on grant funding cycles, and reliance on a small leadership cohort for sustained research output. The principal opportunities are continued expansion of hybrid imaging (PET/MRI), molecular radiotherapy dosimetry, AI-augmented quantitative imaging, and international training influence through the IAEA programme.

Name

Institute of Nuclear Medicine

Legal name

Institute of Nuclear Medicine

Website

https://instituteofnuclearmedicine.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine is a Hospital and University venture between UCLH NHS Foundation Trust and University College London, operating the largest single-site nuclear medicine department in the UK. It delivers clinical PET/CT, PET/MRI, SPECT/CT, and nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging to NHS patients, alongside an active research and radiography education programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nuclear Medicine Imaging Services

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512), General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (62211), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFAKAB

Advanced Imaging & Specialty Radiology Centers (PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine, Interventional Radiology)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Diagnostic & Imaging Centers

SECONDARYHLAHABAE

Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SPECT/PET)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Medical Imaging & Radiology Equipment

SECONDARYHLAIAGAE

Radiopharmacy Compounding & Dispensing (Hospital/Commercial)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Radiopharmaceuticals & Nuclear Medicine

SECONDARYHLAIAGAG

Nuclear Medicine Imaging Agents & Kits (Cold Kits/Precursors)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Radiopharmaceuticals & Nuclear Medicine

Keywords

• Nuclear medicine imaging
• Molecular imaging services
• PET/CT diagnostics
• PET/MRI scanning
• Hybrid molecular imaging

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. NHS Clinical Services: INM provides clinical services to NHS patients through University College London Hospital, delivering diagnostic imaging services including PET/CT, PET/MRI, nuclear medicine scans, and bone density scans. Revenue is generated through NHS funding mechanisms and NHS performance KPIs.
2. Research Grants and Collaborations: INM conducts extensive research funded by grants and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, and research institutions. Research includes clinical trials imaging, translational research, and experimental medicine programmes.
3. ISOHOPE Research Charity: INM operates a research charity (ISOHOPE) that raises money for imaging research through donations. Previous support has been received from Rosetrees Trust and Breast Cancer Now.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine (INM) is the largest single-site nuclear medicine department in the UK, providing clinical diagnostic and molecular imaging services including PET/CT, PET/MRI, SPECT/CT, radionuclide therapy, DEXA bone densitometry, and cardiac CT scanning. It operates as a joint clinical and research facility, combining routine patient imaging with translational research, novel radiotracer development, and clinical trials in molecular imaging.

Product overview

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine is a clinical and research centre offering a comprehensive portfolio of medical imaging services and technologies. The core clinical services include PET/CT scans (combining CT anatomical imaging with PET functional imaging), Nuclear Medicine scans using Gamma cameras and SPECT/CT, PET/MRI hybrid imaging (the first UK site to install simultaneous PET/MRI in 2012), Bone Density/DEXA scans, and Cardiac CT scans. Supporting these are research programmes including Quantitative SPECT, PET Image Optimisation, Dosimetry for Molecular Radiotherapy, and Pre-surgical Epilepsy Imaging. Advanced research initiatives include the INSERT project (a world-first SPECT/MRI hybrid device), Interstitial Lung Disease imaging with AI-powered quantitative CT analysis, and Tumour Angiogenesis research. Education services encompass radiographer training placements and PhD/Masters programmes. The department operates state-of-the-art equipment including 2 PET/CT scanners, a Siemens PET/MRI scanner, SPECT, SPECT/CT, DEXA, and Gamma cameras, alongside an onsite radiopharmacy and research department.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISOHOPE: The Institute of Nuclear Medicine's research charity, raising money for imaging research. Supports work in cancer, dementia, and heart failure diagnosis.

Products and services

• PET/CT Scanning
• PET/MRI Scanning
• SPECT/CT and Nuclear Medicine Scans
• Radionuclide Therapy
• DEXA Bone Densitometry
• Cardiac CT Scanning
• Research Scans and Translational Imaging

Quantifiable outcome

• 19,500+ patients seen in 2020 with NHS KPI delivery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GSKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSK is one of INM's research collaborators. INM has collaborated with the pharmaceutical company on various research projects involving molecular imaging and nuclear medicine applications.
• GE HealthcarecoreTechnology or IntegrationGE Healthcare is a key technology partner providing imaging equipment and contributing to research collaborations. Professor Thielemans worked closely with GE from 2005, contributing to PET/CT product development including scatter correction, image reconstruction and motion correction solutions.
• Siemens HealthineerscoreTechnology or IntegrationSiemens Healthineers is a technology partner providing imaging equipment including the PET/MRI scanner. INM collaborates with Siemens on research and development of imaging technologies.
• TheragnosticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheragnostics is a research collaborator with INM, working on molecular imaging research projects.
• IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Brian Hutton has pioneered a scheme for distance assisted training (DAT) of Nuclear Medicine Technologists under IAEA funding which has been adopted in many countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America with interest also in Eastern Europe.
• Blue Earth DiagnosticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Earth Diagnostics is a research collaborator with INM, working on molecular imaging research and diagnostics development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Curium: Global radiopharmaceutical manufacturer supplying SPECT/PET tracers used in nuclear medicine. Comparable as a supply-chain peer providing the radiotracers and cold kits that INM and similar departments rely on, but at a much larger commercial scale.
• Siemens Healthineers: Manufacturer of the PET/MRI scanner installed at INM and a Core technology partner. Comparable as a major OEM providing the hybrid imaging systems that anchor academic nuclear medicine departments' clinical and research services.
• GE HealthCare: Global manufacturer of PET/CT, PET/MRI, and SPECT/CT systems and a Core technology partner of INM. Comparable as a supplier of the core imaging technology platform that INM's services run on, and a broader incumbent across molecular imaging.
• Lantheus: Specialty radiopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of PET and SPECT imaging agents, including neurology and oncology tracers. Comparable as a developer/supplier of the molecular imaging agents used in nuclear medicine services like INM's.
• Invicro (formerly Imanova): UK-headquartered contract research organisation specialising in molecular imaging and clinical trial imaging services. Comparable in providing PET and molecular imaging for pharma-sponsored trials, but operating as a private commercial CRO rather than an NHS department.

Emerging players

• Blue Earth Diagnostics: Specialist molecular imaging company developing novel PET radiopharmaceuticals and a listed research collaborator of INM. Comparable as a focused emerging player in oncology PET tracers overlapping with INM's research and clinical interests.

Direct peers

• Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust – PET Centre: Academic NHS PET centre in London with a strong clinical trials imaging portfolio. Comparable in serving as an NHS-academic PET/imaging site with pharma and academic research collaborations.
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust – Nuclear Medicine: One of Europe's largest single-site cancer centres with extensive nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy capability. Comparable as a high-volume, research-active NHS molecular imaging operation.
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust – Department of Nuclear Medicine: UK-leading cancer centre with a major nuclear medicine and PET service. Directly comparable in combining NHS clinical delivery with research-active molecular imaging, particularly in oncology theranostics and PET.
• King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Department of Nuclear Medicine: Another large UK NHS academic nuclear medicine department in London offering PET/CT, SPECT/CT, and theranostics. Directly comparable as a UK NHS academic centre with hybrid imaging, research activity, and clinical trial imaging services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-nuclear-medicine

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Nuclear Medicine