EANM 2026, taking place October 17-21 in Vienna, will bring together 10,000 nuclear medicine professionals to discuss how emerging technologies like theranostics and radioligand therapies can reach more patients across Europe, while addressing regulatory, infrastructure, and access challenges in clinical practice.
- EANM 2026 congress will host approximately 10,000 clinicians, scientists, and industry leaders from 138 countries in Vienna from October 17-21.
- Theranostics—combining molecular imaging with targeted radionuclide therapy—will be a central focus, with sessions on new targets, alpha-emitting therapies, and clinical readiness of FAPI imaging.
- Clinical trials for radiopharmaceutical therapies have more than doubled since 2015, with over 50 million nuclear medicine procedures performed worldwide annually.
- Dedicated EU policy symposiums will examine regulation, infrastructure, and patient access to radioligand therapy across European healthcare systems.
- The congress will explore AI applications in nuclear medicine, including large language models, image analysis, and practical implementation in clinical settings.
Nuclear medicine is moving fast, but how much of that progress is reaching patients? This question will run through the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) annual congress, taking place from 17 to 21 October at the Austria Center Vienna.
Around 10,000 clinicians, scientists, technologists, and industry representatives from 138 countries are expected to attend EANM 2026.
More than 50 million nuclear medicine procedures are performed worldwide each year, according to EANM. Clinical trials involving radiopharmaceutical therapies have more than doubled since 2015, reflecting growing interest in treatments that deliver radiation directly to diseased tissue.
New targets, new treatments
Theranostics will take center stage in Vienna. By combining molecular imaging with targeted radionuclide therapy, the approach allows clinicians to identify specific disease targets and subsequently treat them. While radioligand therapies have already entered clinical practice for certain cancers, researchers are investigating new targets, radionuclides, and treatment combinations.
One congress debate will examine whether fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) imaging is ready for clinical guidelines. Other sessions will address alpha-emitting therapies for prostate cancer, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy beyond gastroenteropancreatic tumours, and prospective imaging trials in oncology.
But developing effective treatments is only part of the challenge. Making them available to patients across Europe remains another.
Bringing radioligand therapy to patients across Europe
A dedicated EU policy symposium will examine regulation, infrastructure, and patient access to radioligand therapy. A second will address how Europe can accelerate clinical trials in nuclear medicine, from regulatory approval to implementation.
Beyond oncology, the program covers developments in neuroimaging, cardiovascular disease, infection, and pediatric nuclear medicine.
In Alzheimer's disease, researchers will discuss how PET can support diagnosis, patient selection, and monitoring as disease-modifying therapies become available. Another session will examine quantitative imaging and dosimetry using total-body PET, while technologists will discuss new clinical responsibilities and training requirements.
AI and the future of clinical practice
Artificial intelligence also features on the program, with sessions examining large language models, image analysis, and their practical use in nuclear medicine.
"At a time when nuclear medicine is evolving at an unprecedented pace, the EANM annual congress is increasingly established as a key moment to pause, reflect, and collectively define the directions that will shape our field," said Dr. Valentina Garibotto, chair of the EANM Scientific Events Council.
According to Garibotto, the congress aims to bring together different disciplines and encourage discussions about how research findings can improve patient care.
For European imaging professionals, the meeting offers an opportunity to examine not only emerging technologies but also the evidence supporting their use, the challenges of introducing them into clinical practice, and the differences in access between healthcare systems.
Find further information and the scientific program at eanm26.eanm.org.
