The formation of an international community of researchers in neutron inspection techniques can be divided into two stages: First the informal but very real stage prior to 1992; then the formal democratization with a written constitution and elections.

Since the discovery of the neutron in 1932 international communications between individual research scientists have helped in many important applications [1]. Neutron radiology is no exception as illustrated by the following examples:

Between 1964 and 1977 a series of fifteen newsletters, containing news contributed from many countries, were mailed free to interested scientists worldwide [2]. The published proceedings of a one-day conference held in 1973 at the University of Birmingham (UK) contains 28 papers from 7 countries [3].

The 1000-page book of proceedings of the First World Conference on Neutron Radiography (WCNR) held in 1981 at San Diego (USA) contains 140 papers from 20 countries [4]. By the year 1989 the international neutron radiography community had expanded to include many Asian countries [5,6,7].

The formalization of this existing worldwide community of scientists into the ISNR started in 1992. Following the Fourth World Conference on Neutron Radiography</a> in San Francisco a series of four annual editions of the International NR Newsletters provided through questionnaires for review, discussion and mailed in votes on the proposed ISNR constitution. This documented process was verified by attendees at WCNR5 in Berlin in 1996, where the adoption was confirmed. Two papers published in the WCNR5 proceedings document the foundation of the International Society of Neutron Radiology and lists founding members [8,9].

The constitution is intentionally brief, but it provides scope for evolution through amendments approved by the elected board of directors. The word "radiology" in the title is deliberate. It allows for inclusion of neutron radiography (static imaging) and radioscopy (dynamic imaging), and also other inspection techniques using neutrons.

1. The Neutron and its Applications, 1982. Edited by P. Schofield, hardcover book 520 pages. The Institute of Physics, London ISBN 0-85498-155-1
2. Neutron Radiography Newsletters 1964-1977. Edited by J.P. Barton, soft cover book 214 pages, archives only
3. Radiography with Neutrons 1973. Edited by M.R. Hawesworth, soft cover book 167 pages. British Nuclear Energy society, London ISBN 0-7277-0019-7
4. Neutron Radiography, Proceedings of the First World Conference. Edited by John P. Barton et al, hardcover book 1072 pages. D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland ISBN 90-277-1528-9
5. Neutron Radiography, Proceedings of the Third World Conference 1989. Edited by S. Fujine et al. Hardback book 1011 pages, Kluwer Academic Publishing, Dordrecht, Holland ISBN 0-7923-0832-8
6. Neutron Radiography System Design and Characterization 1995. Edited by H. Kobayashi et al, hardback book 180 pages, North-Holland, Elsevier Science Publishing.
7. Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation - WCNR6 1999. Edited by S. Fujine et al, soft back book 455 pages, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, Vol 16, No2-6, 2001.
8. International Neutron Radiography - Past and Future, J.P. Barton pp 17-24, Fifth World Conference on Neutron Radiography 1996. Edited by C.O. Fischer et al, hardback book 769 pages, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Zerstorungsfreie Profung e.V Berlin ISBN 3-931-381-08-0.
9. International Society for Neutron Radiology Foundation, J.P. Barton pp 765-769, Fifth World Conference on Neutron Radiography 1996. Edited by C.O. Fischer et al, DGZfP Berlin ISBN 3-931-381-08-0.