Subspecialties
Radiology subspecialties and special interests
Interventional Radiology is the formally recognised subspecialty, but UK radiologists commonly develop one or more major special interests. You do not need to choose before ST1, and many trainees change their mind once they have rotated through the specialty.
Neuroradiology
Brain · spine · head and neck
Brain, spine, head and neck imaging across CT, MRI and angiographic techniques, with close links to neurology, neurosurgery, stroke, ENT and oncology. Neurointervention is a further procedural pathway.
Musculoskeletal Radiology
MSK
Trauma, sports, orthopaedics, rheumatology, bone and soft-tissue tumours, with a strong mix of MRI, ultrasound and image-guided injections or biopsies.
Gastrointestinal and abdominal Radiology
GI · hepatobiliary · abdominal
Hepatobiliary, pancreatic, bowel and general abdominal imaging using CT, MRI, ultrasound and fluoroscopy, with substantial cancer-MDT involvement and opportunities for intervention.
Genitourinary and pelvic imaging
GU · pelvic
Kidney, urinary tract, prostate and pelvic imaging, often combining CT, MRI and ultrasound with oncology and surgical MDT work.
Chest and cardiac imaging
Thoracic · cardiac
Thoracic Radiology covers lung, pleural, airway and mediastinal disease; cardiovascular imaging adds cardiac CT, cardiac MRI and vascular imaging, often working closely with respiratory physicians, cardiologists and cardiothoracic teams.
Breast Radiology
Breast
A particularly patient-facing area combining mammography, ultrasound, MRI, biopsy and multidisciplinary cancer care, with both symptomatic and screening practice.
Paediatric Radiology
Paediatrics
Imaging children across modalities with different disease patterns, radiation considerations and communication needs, often in specialist children's hospitals or regional networks.
Oncological and radionuclide imaging
Oncology · PET · nuclear medicine
Cancer imaging cuts across organ systems and MDTs. Radionuclide Radiology and Nuclear Medicine add PET, SPECT and theranostic techniques to anatomical imaging.
Interventional Radiology
Procedural Radiology
Image-guided treatment ranging from vascular procedures and embolisation to drainage, biopsy, ablation and emergency haemorrhage control. IR has its own extended training pathway and is the formally recognised Radiology subspecialty.
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