... DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY OF RADIOLOGY IN ALL ITS FORMS...
SPECIAL NOTICE -- INVISIBLE LIGHT 57
Because of distribution difficulties the current edition is available under the Our Journal tab above.
| THE JOHN CLIFTON ESSAY PRIZE 2026 |
About the prize
The British Society for the History of Radiology is pleased to launch the John Clifton Essay Prize for 2026, promoting research and insight into the history of radiological sciences(including medical imaging, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine).
We are keen to receive essays that explore all aspects of radiology history including scientific discovery and technological development; biographical accounts; societal impact and cultural dimensions. Essays which explore less well-known events / figures, or which demonstrate the relevance of historical events to current and future practice are encouraged.
Topics may include diagnostic imaging, interventional techniques, radiotherapy and may seek to highlight the work of radiologists, radiographers, physicists and engineers, or may explore imaging and therapeutic techniques from the patient’s perspective. Whilst entries are open to all, we particularly welcome participation from healthcare professionals in training and from undergraduates. Essays should be based on accurate historical research,but personal insights, reflections and perspectives can be included.
The prize is named in honour of Professor John Clifton (1930-2023), renowned medical physicist and member of BSHR over many years.
Competition details
Closing date: Friday 23 th October 2026
Word limit: 5000 (excluding references)
Essays should be submitted in Word, using Times New Roman Font (size 12).
Please omit the author’s name from the Word document.
Essays should be fully referenced. If images are included, it should be possible to determine
the copyright status to facilitate potential publication.
Entries must not have been previously published elsewhere.
Use of AI chatbot software or equivalent is prohibited.
Entries will be judged by members of the BSHR Council.
Entries should be sent to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prizes
First prize of £250 (and publication in Invisible Light / BSHR website)
Additional prizes may be awarded at the judges’ discretion.
Winners will also receive a year’s membership of BSHR.
All entries will be considered for publication in Invisible Light and on the BSHR website.
Winners will be announced at the BSHR Online lecture, 10 th November 2025 (further details
will be made available at bshr.org.uk)
THE BSHR ANNUAL LECTURE 2 FEBRUARY 2026
A personal History of Radiology from Röntgen to the Modern
Digital Era & AI – What can we learn from the pioneers?
by Dr Arpan K Banerjee, MBBS( LOND)FRCP FRCR FBIR, Chair ISHRAD
(International Soc History of Radiology)
Dr Banerjee has been researching and writing about radiology history for over 30 years and has published over a hundred papers and essays and several books on aspects of radiology and medical history. He is the author of ‘Radiology of AIDS’(1993), Radiology Made Easy (1999, 2006) and co author of the book ‘Classic papers in Modern Diagnostic Radiology’ (Springer 2004) and ‘The History of Radiology’ (OUP 2013). His latest project was co- editing and contributing to the book ‘Pioneers in Radiology Worldwide at the time of Wilhelm Rontgen’ published in Paris in 2024.
In this talk he will review the lives and contributions of the early radiology pioneers from Rontgen, Madame Curie and others and also cover the development of early ultrasound, CT, MRI and interventional radiology and AI. The talk will provide a historical overview of some of the key developments in radiology throughout the 20th century and the pioneers involved in these developments and will also remind us what the lives of these pioneers can teach us in our current era.
Watch the lecture: follow this link
ISHRAD
The report on the 14th ISHRAD symposium held in Gothenburg on 11 October 2025 can be found here:
https://ishrad.org/report-of-14th-symposium-of-ishrad-11-oct-2025-gothenburg-sweden
ONLINE LECTURE -- PROF IWAN MORUS on NIKOLA TESLA 6 NOVEMBER 2025
watch the online video here
| THE JOHN CLIFTON ESSAY PRIZE 2025 -WINNERS |
The Winner of the Prize this year is Katharine Thomson for her essay The First Thyroid Radionuclide Therapy
Patient? A Mystery in Time and Music. This essay will appear in Invisible Light 57.
There were awards for two Runners Ups:
Edmund Joseph: From electrotherapist to radiologist– Dawson Turner and early radiology and
Navdeep Ranar: The Body That Remains: Radiology in the Wreckage of the Atomic Age
Congratulations to all those who entered
| Other items on this page : |
Annual Lecture video |
Pioneers in Radiology Worldwide |
Past lecture videos |
A Personal History of Imaging in Radiotherapy
Prof Marcel van Herk
Click for here for the video of the 2025 Annual Lecture
| PIONEERS IN RADIOLOGY WORLDWIDE |
Some members of BSHR have contributed to a new book published and co- edited by ISHRAD (Int Soc Hist Radiology) with the SFR (French Society of Radiology). It contains 195 biographies of early radiology pioneers from 38 countries and is illustrated in colour. 250 pages.
The book 'Pioneers in Radiology Worldwide at the time of Rontgen' can be purchased from websites below.
https://eboutique.radiologie.f
https://www.livres-medicaux.c
| OTHER FEATURES |
OnLine Lecture 2024
CT: Past, Present and Future
Dr Cynthia McCollough's talk is available here
Annual Lecture 2024
Signs and Symbols: Heraldry from Roentgen to The Present Day
Stephen Keevil
OnLine Lecture 2023
The Mummy Returns
Dr Ash Chakraborty
.