Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging

Aim and Objective

The Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging aims to promote the advancement of knowledge, research, education, and clinical practice in medical imaging and related healthcare sciences. The objective of the journal is to provide an international platform for researchers, radiologists, radiologic technologists, medical physicists, clinicians, educators, and healthcare professionals to publish high-quality scientific work that contributes to innovation, evidence-based practice, patient care, and technological development in medical imaging. The journal encourages the dissemination of original research findings, clinical experiences, technical developments, and educational perspectives that support the growth of imaging sciences worldwide.

Article Type Specification

The Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging accepts a wide variety of article types to suit different kinds of research and academic contributions. 

1. Original Research Articles are intended for studies that present new findings, experiments, or technological developments in medical imaging. These manuscripts should be between 2,000 and 4,500 words (excluding abstract and references) and must include a structured abstract of 250–300 words with headings such as Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. The main text should follow the standard IMRaD format (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion). Authors can include 10–50 references. 8 tables and 6 figures in the manuscript. 
2. Review Articles (Narrative and Mini review) provide a detailed and critical overview of existing research on a specific topic in medical imaging. These articles should be 1200–5,000 words long and include an abstract of around 250-300 words, which can be structured or unstructured. The format is flexible but should clearly present current knowledge, critical analysis, and future directions. A total of 15–70 references is expected, along with up to 8 tables and 8 figures.
3. Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses involve a structured and methodical approach to collecting and analysing all relevant studies on a specific research question. These papers should be 2500–7,000 words in length and must include a structured abstract of about 250-300 words. Authors must follow PRISMA guidelines for reporting. These articles typically include 25–100 references and up to 10 tables and figures, including a PRISMA flow diagram.
4. Case Reports describe unique, rare, or educational cases that provide valuable clinical insights. These should be between 1,000 and 2,500 words, with an unstructured abstract of 150–200 words. The manuscript should include sections such as Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, and Conclusion. Written patient consent for publication is mandatory and must be clearly mentioned. Authors can include 8–20 references and up to 5 tables or figures.
5. Case Series present multiple related cases to highlight patterns, new techniques, or emerging findings. These manuscripts should be 1,500–3,500 words long and include a structured abstract of 200–250 words. The typical structure includes Introduction, Case Descriptions, Discussion or Comparative Analysis, and Conclusion. Authors should include 15–30 references and up to 8 tables or figures.
6. Technical Notes/Short Communications are short articles that focus on new techniques, protocol improvements, or preliminary findings. These should be concise, with a word limit of 600–1,500 words. An abstract is optional but, if included, should not exceed 150 words. The structure generally includes an Introduction, a description of the technique or method, and a brief discussion of its applications. Authors can include 10–15 references and up to 2 tables or figures.

Formal Appeals Procedure

Authors can request an appeal if they believe a decision on their manuscript was not fair or accurate. Appeals are considered only in specific situations, such as when there is a clear error in the review, a misunderstanding of the study methods or results, or a problem in the review process itself. To submit an appeal, authors must send a written request to the Editorial Office clearly explaining the reason for the appeal. The request should include strong supporting evidence and directly respond to the points mentioned in the decision letter. Appeals must be submitted within 14 days of receiving the decision. Once received, the appeal is reviewed independently by a senior editorial team, and a decision is usually made within 1–2 weeks. The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief and is considered final. For appeals, contact: em@spjmhs.com

Research Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

The Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging is committed to maintaining standards of research integrity by following internationally accepted ethical guidelines. Before a manuscript is sent for peer review, it is checked for similarity using tools such as iThenticate or Turnitin. Although a general guideline is to keep similarity below 10% for self-content and 15% overall (excluding references), each submission is carefully reviewed to ensure proper citation and originality. The journal follows a strict zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. If significant copied or unattributed content is identified before publication, the manuscript will be rejected, and all authors will be informed. If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the article will be officially withdrawn. In such cases, the authors’ institutions may be notified, and restrictions may be placed on future submissions from those involved. For serious or repeated ethical violations, the journal may report the issue to relevant academic authorities or funding bodies. Anyone who suspects ethical misconduct, including plagiarism, can report it confidentially to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@spjmhs.com. All concerns are handled carefully and investigated fairly and confidentially.

Authorship Criteria

Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging follows the authorship guidelines recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to ensure that credit is given fairly and responsibly. Authorship is granted only to those who have made meaningful contributions to both the research and the manuscript, and who are willing to take responsibility for the work. All authors must be actively involved in the study and must approve the final version before publication. The corresponding author ensures that all contributors meet these requirements and that the author list is accurate. According to ICMJE, authorship should be based on all of the following criteria:

• Significant contribution to the conception or design of the study, or to the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data
• Involvement in drafting the manuscript or critically reviewing it for important intellectual content
• Final approval of the version to be published
• Agreement to take full responsibility for all aspects of the work, ensuring that any issues related to accuracy or integrity are properly addressed

Authorship Change Protocols

To request a change, the corresponding author must submit a formal request to the editorial office at em@spjpublication.com before acceptance of the manuscript. After acceptance of the manuscript, no changes will be entertained, except for any unknown or unexpected issues of the authors. This request must be signed by all original authors and all newly proposed authors. It must include a detailed justification for the change and any supporting evidence, such as a reassessment of contributions. The editorial office will review the request and retain final, absolute discretion on whether to authorise any changes to the published authorship.

Post-Acceptance

Upon final acceptance, you will receive a formal email notification. Your manuscript will then enter the production phase, which includes copyediting, typesetting, and formatting, a process typically completed within 2-3 weeks. Following this, you will receive a PDF proof for your final review and approval. You are required to submit any corrections within a 48-hour window. After proof approval, the article will be published online first (ahead of print) and subsequently assigned to a formal journal issue. 

Post Publication Correction

Innovative Journal of Medical Imaging has established a clear policy for addressing errors in published articles, categorised by their nature and impact on the scientific record.

• Minor Errors, such as typographical mistakes or formatting issues that do not affect the data or conclusions, will typically be corrected silently by the publisher within 24 hours of notification, without a formal notice.
• Substantive Errors, which involve inaccuracies in data, results, or interpretations that do not invalidate the paper's core conclusions, will be addressed through the publication of a Corrigendum. This notice, linked to the original article, will be issued within 3-5 business days.
• Critical Errors that fundamentally compromise the validity or integrity of the published findings may necessitate an Expression of Concern or the Retraction of the article. Such serious issues are acted upon immediately following investigation.
• Publisher Errors introduced during the typesetting or production process (e.g., mislabeled figures) are corrected via an Erratum, published within 3-5 business days.

Contact Information

• Editor-in-Chief: ec@spjmhs.com
• Appeals: em@spjmhs.com
• Permissions: permissions@spjpublication.com
• Technical Support: support@spjpublication