The 17th Committee Election of the Chinese Society of Radiology, Chinese Medical Association, concluded successfully in Beijing on March 25, 2026. The Department of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, achieved fruitful results, with a number of core specialists elected to key positions on the new committee. These milestone accomplishments set a new historical record for imaging medicine in Hunan Province. They also demonstrate the robust momentum and outstanding outcomes of disciplinary development since the department’s founding in August 2025, proving that Xiangya’s imaging discipline has firmly secured a place among the country’s top academic ranks.

Guided by the unified planning of the Department of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine during this committee reshuffle, Professor Liao Weihua, Deputy Director of the Department, was elected Standing Committee Member of the Chinese Society of Radiology — the first specialist from Hunan Province to receive this honor. Meanwhile, Professor Rong Pengfei, Department Director, and Professor Liu Jun, Deputy Department Director, were elected Committee Members concurrently. This marks Xiangya Imaging’s official entry into the core national academic decision-making body.

With three core department leaders elected simultaneously, the total number of the department’s specialists holding national committee positions in the Chinese Medical Association has risen to eight, further consolidating its core standing in domestic imaging medicine. This achievement is high recognition from the industry of the overall strength and team cohesion of the Department of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine.

In addition, during the reshuffle of the Chinese Society of Imaging Technology under the Chinese Medical Association at the end of 2025, Chief Technician Zhou Gaofeng from the department was elected Standing Committee Member, becoming the second Hunan specialist to hold this position following Chief Technician Hu Pengzhi. This signifies coordinated and parallel progress in both diagnostic radiology and imaging technology within the department. A national academic backbone team driven by dual pillars of “diagnosis + technology” has been established, laying solid groundwork for all-round disciplinary advancement.

Founded in August 2025, the Department of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine has integrated high-quality imaging resources across all directly affiliated and non-affiliated hospitals under the Xiangya system. Drawing on the profound academic heritage of imaging medicine and nuclear medicine at the First, Second and Third Xiangya Hospitals, the department, under the leadership of Director Professor Rong Pengfei, has united all staff to advance clinical practice and pursue innovative breakthroughs, yielding remarkable achievements in disciplinary construction.

Clinically, subspecialties including neuroimaging and abdominal imaging feature distinctive strengths with domestically leading diagnosis and treatment capabilities. In scientific research, the department focuses on cutting-edge areas such as radiomics, artificial intelligence and molecular imaging, yielding continuous outputs of national research projects and high-impact papers. For talent cultivation, it has built a well-structured, high-caliber supervisory team to cultivate core talent for long-term disciplinary growth.

The multiple key national academic appointments secured by the department’s specialists represent a landmark leap forward in its systematic, organized disciplinary development since its establishment, and stand as a vital milestone for the overall advancement of imaging medicine and nuclear medicine in Hunan Province. These honors recognize past achievements while motivating future progress. Moving forward, the Department of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine will seize this opportunity to leverage the leading role of national academic platforms, further integrate clinical practice, scientific research and talent training, and continuously explore frontiers in medical imaging. The department strives to develop into a top-tier, world-renowned distinctive disciplinary hub, contributing greater Xiangya wisdom and strength to safeguarding public health and advancing high-quality development of imaging medicine and nuclear medicine nationwide.

First Reviewers: Rong Pengfei, Liu Hong, Cheng Wenwei

Second Reviewer: Li Ruijun

Third Reviewer: Huang Gengwen