UKIO 2026: AI Will 'Master the Image' But Radiographers Must 'Master the Patient,' Congress President Declares

The 2026 UK Imaging and Oncology Congress (UKIO) commenced Monday at the Liverpool Experience Campus with a powerful message: as artificial intelligence increasingly permeates medical imaging, the irreplaceable value of human care must remain paramount. UKIO President and interventional radiologist Dr Shah Islam set the tone during opening remarks, framing the congress around what he called the "relentless pursuit of excellence" and his four guiding principles: curiosity, challenge, change, and community.

"That's what UKIO is — a multidisciplinary community of radiographers, radiologists, and more. There's nowhere else quite like it," Dr Islam told attendees. Addressing the growing prominence of AI (搜索)搜索该靶点 in healthcare, he drew a sharp distinction between machine capability and human compassion. "Love and forgiveness are two of the most important facets of the fabric that makes us human. Regardless of the views and analysis of an algorithm, it will never see what we see: a person, a family." His directive was unambiguous: "Let the algorithm master the image — we will master the patient."

AI (搜索)搜索该靶点 in Healthcare: 'The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It'

Professor Shafi Ahmed followed with a plenary session titled "Intelligent: The evolution of AI (搜索)搜索该靶点 transforming healthcare," tracing the technology's history, development, and potential to reshape the trajectory of medicine. He acknowledged the unease surrounding AI adoption while urging the radiography community to take an active role in shaping its integration.

"AI (搜索)搜索该靶点 creates a lot of fear and anxiety. We need to strike a balance between innovation and human agency," Professor Ahmed said. "The best way to predict the future is to create it. How do we deploy AI for our patients, in a way that is safe, effective and predictable?"

He offered a candid assessment of the current healthcare infrastructure: "Healthcare isn't ready [for AI (搜索)搜索该靶点]. It's fundamentally broken — the systems don't work." Yet he framed this as a call to action rather than resignation, asking, "Can we open our minds to AI? Together, collectively, we need to figure out how to deploy it. How can we take control of our journey with AI as humans?"

Shaping the Future of Cancer Care

Professor Ric Khine delivered the eponymous SoR Martine Jackson Memorial Lecture, titled "Shaping the future of cancer care — the expanding horizons of therapeutic radiography." SoR President Katie Thompson, who chaired the session, noted that the lecture is delivered annually by someone who has placed the patient experience at the heart of care and is raising the bar for radiotherapy.

Professor Khine addressed the pressing need to expand and improve radiotherapy services amid workforce crises and financial constraints, emphasizing a shift in the healthcare landscape from treatment toward prevention. "Colleagues, a new era is upon us. We need to develop modern, multiprofessional cancer care that embeds innovation, so we can ensure this translates into high-quality care for our patients," he said. "At the centre of this transformation are Therapeutic Radiographers and the radiotherapy profession."

He posed a critical question to the audience: "Are we a future-ready workforce? The way care is delivered is evolving quickly. The education landscape is changing rapidly as well. What does that mean for our patients? For me, it provides assurance to our patients that radiotherapy is a valuable profession with highly skilled, trained experts who are adaptive, reflective, competent practitioners."

QSI Standards Updated with AI (搜索)搜索该靶点 and Sustainability Focus

During a joint session of the College of Radiographers and Royal College of Radiologists, attendees received an update on the Quality Standards for Imaging (QSI). Alexandra Lipton, professional officer at the SoR, explained that this marks the fourth significant review of the QSI since its inception, with efforts focused on ensuring the standards remain patient-focused and applicable across all four nations and all services.

Two new areas have been introduced: artificial intelligence and machine learning, and sustainability. The requirements have been standardized and streamlined for clarity and to reflect growing areas of focus in professional practice. The updated standards will be accessible from September 2026, with implementation scheduled for April 2027.

Collaborative Ultrasound Manifesto Launched

Day one concluded with the launch of the Collaborative Ultrasound Manifesto on the SoR stand, where President Katie Thompson was joined by representatives from the British Institute of Radiology and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine. The manifesto addresses what leaders describe as an unsustainable current model for ultrasound services.

"Those of you working in ultrasound will be well aware of the challenges we are facing. We continue to face the absence of statutory regulation and a lack of funding for education and the workforce. The current model is not sustainable," Thompson stated. "We need a workforce that is supported in the face of the physical and emotional challenges we face every day."

She underscored the importance of statutory regulation, arguing it "enables more training routes into the profession, supports recruitment and retention, and ensures patient safety." Thompson also highlighted workforce pressures: "Too many colleagues are working under pressure, risking burnout or facing the risk of musculoskeletal injury. There is also too much inconsistency, regionally and nationally, around progression and promotion, and that creates inequity across the profession."

The manifesto calls upon national decision-makers, professional bodies, and healthcare organisations to work together on six key priorities: stabilising and expanding the ultrasound workforce through statutory regulation, protected training capacity, and national workforce planning; investing in lifelong skills development; embedding robust asset management, clinical audit, and QA systems; adopting innovation safely and consistently; providing sustainable, multi-year funding for training, QA, and equipment replacement; and delivering a unified national ultrasound strategy to reduce variation and improve outcomes across the UK.

Reflections on Day One

Rachel Nolan, SoR president-elect, reflected on the opening day: "It's amazing to see the number of people who have turned up, it seems like every year there's more and more. We've had great speakers, particularly Ric Khine. Everything he said really resonates with radiographers, both diagnostic and therapeutic."

She added: "I'm particularly looking forward to the session about the launch of the 4Ps document, and all the sessions that have focused on the patient voice. It's an excellent experience to hear from the patients, and that's something I'll be carrying through to my term once I start as president."

UKIO 2026 continues through Wednesday, 10 June, offering three days of continuing professional development and practice-based content for a multidisciplinary audience.