Status of Nuclear Medicine in Nepal: Current Infrastructure, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Nuclear medicine is an integral part of medical practice in Nepal. This article reports on the current infrastructure, human resources, training, and research related to nuclear medicine in Nepal.

A questionnaire was sent to all nuclear medicine services in Nepal to collect data on the number and types of imaging devices, staffing, and procedures conducted in 2025. In addition, nuclear medicine-related publications were extracted from relevant research portals.

Nepal, a lower middle-income country of 30 million inhabitants, has nine nuclear medicine departments equipped with four single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), two SPECT/CT (computed tomography), and three positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scanners. In 2025, nearly 200 scans per month were performed at each center with a gamma camera, whereas ∼100 PET/CT cases per month were performed at centers equipped with PET/CT scanners. A total of approximately 50 radionuclide therapy cases per month, mainly comprising I-131 therapies, were performed at centers with gamma cameras. Staff members include 9 MD nuclear medicine physicians, 3 MSc nuclear medicine technologists, 20 radiological technologists involved in nuclear medicine services, and a few staff nurses, although resources are unevenly distributed. Research output has increased substantially since 2020, often in collaboration with international institutions.

Nepal has a relatively advanced nuclear medicine infrastructure supported by public investment, government regulation, international collaboration, and education. However, challenges remain in service expansion, workforce shortages, research development, and equitable access. If these challenges are addressed, Nepal could serve as a compelling model for improving nuclear medicine services in least-developed countries.