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EARLTribute to Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Lind
With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Lind, one of Austria’s most innovative and dedicated nuclear medicine physicians, who died on March 28, 2026.
After completing his medical studies in Graz, he began his specialist training in internal medicine and nuclear medicine at Austria’s leading thyroid centre under the supervision of Prof. Otto Eber at the Hospital of the Barmherzige Brüder Hospital in Graz-Eggenberg. Following his habilitation, he was appointed in 1991, at the age of just 33, as Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Klagenfurt General Hospital, becoming the youngest department head in Austria. In this role, he rapidly implemented new clinical and organisational structures, leading to the establishment of what was, by the mid-1990s, Austria’s most advanced nuclear medicine therapy unit.
Innovation remained the defining feature of both his clinical and scientific work. He was a pioneer of PET imaging in Austria: in 1997, the first partial-ring PET scanner in the country was installed; in 2000, FDG production began following the commissioning of the first private cyclotron (in cooperation with IASON); and in 2003, the second PET/CT system in Austria became operational in Klagenfurt.
As President of the Austrian Society of Nuclear Medicine (OGNT), he was entrusted with organising the emeritation ceremony of Prof. Georg Riccabona in Innsbruck, a role he fulfilled with distinction. His engagement with the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) began in the late 1990s and was marked by significant scientific and organisational contributions. He played a key role in establishing structured, high-quality education and training programmes. Until 2007, he served as Dean of the European School of Nuclear Medicine (ESNM; now ESMIT), where he was instrumental in developing CME-accredited initiatives and structured training pathways. In 2013, he was awarded EANM Honorary Membership in Barcelona in recognition of his outstanding contributions.
Under his leadership, the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Klagenfurt became a highly productive, innovative, and respected institution. He was deeply committed to mentorship and successfully guided several collaborators to achieve habilitation outside the university setting. The department was accredited as a teaching institution by the universities of Innsbruck, Vienna, and Graz, and later certified as a Cancer Center for endocrine malignancies. In addition to numerous pioneering scientific publications, he organised the long-standing Wörthersee and Alpe-Adria nuclear medicine symposia, which became well-established platforms for exchange within the field. From 2009 to 2010, he also served as Medical Director of Klagenfurt General Hospital.
Particularly remarkable was his resilience in returning to full professional activity following a serious illness in 2011 — a quality deeply admired by colleagues and friends. In the years that followed, he continued to initiate new scientific, clinical, and organisational developments, while gradually dedicating more time to his family.
Professor Lind leaves behind a lasting legacy in nuclear medicine, as well as countless personal memories among those who had the privilege of working with him. He will be remembered as an exceptional scientist, clinician, and colleague. Our deepest condolences go out to his family.
Published online: April 8, 2026.