Aims & Scope
Journal of Radiation and Nuclear Medicine (JRNM) publishes peer-reviewed research advancing the science, technology, and clinical applications of ionizing radiation and radionuclides in medicine, with emphasis on diagnostic imaging, therapeutic interventions, radiation safety, and translational radiopharmaceutical development.
Nuclear Medicine Imaging
Radiation Therapy
Radiopharmaceuticals
Radiation Dosimetry
Medical Physics
We do NOT consider: General radiology without radiation/nuclear medicine focus, non-medical radiation applications (industrial, agricultural), basic physics without clinical relevance, or alternative medicine practices unrelated to ionizing radiation.
Core Research Domains
Nuclear Medicine Imaging & Diagnostics
- SPECT and PET imaging techniques and protocols
- Radiopharmaceutical development and validation
- Radionuclide production and quality control
- Molecular imaging biomarkers
- Hybrid imaging (PET/CT, SPECT/CT, PET/MRI)
- Quantitative imaging and standardization
Typical fit: "Development of a novel F-18 labeled tracer for early detection of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease using PET/MRI with biodistribution and dosimetry analysis."
Radiation Therapy & Medical Physics
- External beam radiotherapy (IMRT, VMAT, proton therapy)
- Brachytherapy techniques and dosimetry
- Radiation treatment planning and optimization
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy
- Quality assurance in radiation oncology
Typical fit: "Comparative dosimetric analysis of VMAT versus IMRT for head and neck cancer treatment with assessment of organ-at-risk sparing and treatment delivery efficiency."
Radiobiology & Radiation Safety
- Cellular and molecular radiation biology
- Radiation dosimetry and dose calculation
- Radiation protection and monitoring
- Biological effects of ionizing radiation
- Radiation risk assessment and epidemiology
- Occupational and environmental radiation safety
Typical fit: "DNA damage response mechanisms in normal tissue following fractionated radiotherapy: implications for predicting late toxicity in breast cancer patients."
Theranostics & Targeted Radionuclide Therapy
- Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT)
- Radioimmunotherapy and antibody conjugates
- Alpha and beta emitter therapeutics
- Theranostic pair development and validation
- Dosimetry for radionuclide therapy
- Response assessment and patient selection
Typical fit: "Lu-177 PSMA therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: dosimetry-based outcome prediction and toxicity assessment in a multicenter cohort."
Secondary Focus Areas
Clinical Applications & Outcomes
- Oncologic imaging and therapy response
- Cardiovascular nuclear medicine
- Neurological and psychiatric applications
- Pediatric nuclear medicine and radiation therapy
- Infection and inflammation imaging
- Endocrine imaging (thyroid, parathyroid)
Instrumentation & Technology
- Detector physics and scintillation materials
- Image reconstruction algorithms
- Radiation detection and measurement systems
- Quality control phantoms and protocols
- Artificial intelligence in image analysis
- Novel imaging system design
Radiochemistry & Radiopharmacy
- Radiosynthesis and labeling chemistry
- Radiopharmaceutical quality control
- Good manufacturing practice (GMP) production
- Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution
- Novel chelator and targeting vector development
- Regulatory aspects of radiopharmaceuticals
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Small animal imaging (microPET, microSPECT)
- Preclinical radiation therapy models
- Proof-of-concept tracer validation
- Radiation biology mechanistic studies
- Comparative imaging modality studies
- First-in-human imaging studies
Emerging Research Frontiers
Explicitly Out of Scope
We Do Not Consider
- Diagnostic radiology without nuclear/radiation medicine component: Plain radiography, ultrasound, non-contrast CT/MRI studies without radiopharmaceutical or radiation therapy context.
- Non-medical radiation applications: Industrial radiography, food irradiation, agricultural applications, radiation processing, or materials testing unrelated to medical physics.
- Alternative medicine without ionizing radiation: Cupping therapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, or other complementary practices that do not involve radiopharmaceuticals or ionizing radiation.
- Basic physics without clinical translation: Pure theoretical nuclear physics, particle physics, or radiation physics manuscripts lacking clear medical application or translational pathway.
- Neuroscience unrelated to imaging/therapy: Mirror neurons, cognitive neuroscience, or neurophysiology studies without nuclear medicine imaging or radiation therapy component.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Priority 1: Fast-Track
Expedited Review
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
- Technical Innovations & Methods
- Multicenter Clinical Trials
- Dosimetry Studies
Priority 2: Standard
Regular Review
- Short Communications
- Technical Notes
- Clinical Perspectives
- Imaging Case Series (n≥5)
- Quality Assurance Reports
Priority 3: Selective
Limited Consideration
- Single Case Reports
- Opinion Pieces
- Commentaries
- Letters to Editor
- Educational Reviews
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- STARD for diagnostic accuracy studies
- CONSORT for randomized trials
- STROBE for observational studies
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- ARRIVE for animal research
- MIRD for dosimetry calculations
Data & Reproducibility
- Raw data deposition encouraged (anonymized)
- Statistical analysis plan required for trials
- Image acquisition parameters mandatory
- Dosimetry methodology fully described
- Software/algorithm version reporting
- Code availability for computational studies
Ethics & Compliance
- IRB/Ethics committee approval required
- Informed consent documentation
- Radiation dose justification (ALARA principle)
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Clinical trial registration (prospective)
- Patient privacy protection (HIPAA/GDPR)
Preprint & Publication Policy
- Preprints permitted (arXiv, medRxiv, bioRxiv)
- Conference abstracts do not preclude submission
- No duplicate publication
- Overlapping cohorts must be disclosed
- Prior presentation at meetings acceptable
- Preprint DOI should be declared
Publication Metrics & Timeline
21 days
First Decision
42%
Acceptance Rate
14 days
Publication Post-Acceptance
Open
Access Model
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