06/11/2025
Over the course of his career, Professor Richard Underwood has served as both a cardiologist and a nuclear physician, working primarily at the Royal Brompton and later Harefield hospitals, with a particular expertise in cardiac imaging.
His education began at the Edinburgh Academy, followed by studies at Oxford University, before moving to London to complete a research fellowship in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Professor Underwood joined the Brompton in 1985, during the early development of MRI technology, carrying out important research in this field. Inspired by visionary colleagues, he worked alongside clinicians to develop techniques for capturing still images of the heart. These efforts laid the foundations for cardiac MRI as we know it today - now an essential tool in modern cardiology.
Throughout his career, Professor Underwood enjoyed collaborating with people who shared a common goal: improving patient care. He was driven by the multidisciplinary teamwork of his peers and their ability to apply physics and science to create innovative technologies.
Reflecting on his work, he notes: "My field, which began with magnetic resonance imaging and later expanded into nuclear cardiology, advanced because we were fortunate to have good equipment and supportive management who allowed us to develop it.
People came from far afield to learn here and then carried a little bit of Brompton’s expertise back to their own institutions. It was so satisfying to see that the things you knew could benefit patients were shared, not only nationally but internationally. There was nowhere else where it was possible to have such an influence for the benefit of patients."
Sign up to the Alumni Network to find out more about Professor Underwood's journey and to reconnect with other colleagues who have worked at our inspirational institution: https://alumni.rbht.nhs.uk/news/2930371
