Global Imaging Procedure Volume Analysis 2017

Global Imaging Procedure Volume Analysis 2017

Highly detailed medical imaging modalities are enabling healthcare providers to visualize disease in new ways. Imaging scans make possible early and more accurate diagnoses, which, in turn, may lead to optimized treatment regimes. Moreover, today's imaging modalities have largely replaced exploratory surgery. X-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and nuclear medicine have become so good that they have largely done away with the need for exploratory surgery to determine the extent of a patient's condition.A number of factors have driven the need for medical imaging diagnostic procedures. Among them, by 2050, the 60-and-older population will increase from 680 million to 2 billion -- increasing from 11% to 22% of the world's population. In addition to older population drivers, consumers have strong expectations for better healthcare. Advances in the science and technology of imaging, such as digital x-ray systems, are addressing more medical ailments and aiding in earlier diagnosis and prevention of disease. These advances are helping to improve medical outcomes and extend patients’ lives.

The use of imaging modalities by hospitals and other healthcare institutions has generated new market opportunities for manufacturers of these systems and component suppliers. The capabilities of many imaging modalities have become so sophisticated, especially on the molecular level, that they can diagnose unresolved biological and clinical questions. Molecular imaging has the ability to harvest vast amounts of knowledge gained from molecular biology. In theory it is possible to design a molecular imaging agent to target each step in the sequence from DNA replication to protein synthesis and subsequently all the steps of protein metabolism.

Imaging Procedure Volume Counts and Estimations by Country

This report, Imaging Procedure Volume contains complete imaging procedure volume counts for the following procedures:

X-ray 
CT 
MRI 
PET 
Ultrasound

The report does so for every signficant country market in the world.

Due to the growth and aging of the population, overall healthcare needs in the US and worldwide will expand steadily. This will impact favorably on the volume of medical imaging procedures and related equipment and consumables. The volume and mix of medical imaging procedures and demand for related equipment and consumables correlate directly to epidemiological patterns. Driven by demographic and lifestyle trends, the level of acute and chronic medical conditions will increase steadily over the long term. Growth prospects for medical imaging products will benefit especially from an increasing prevalence of cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, orthopedic, and viral diseases. These conditions constitute major health problems, many of which require early and accurate diagnosis and continuous long-term monitoring to treat or manage successfully.

Over the past few decades, annual population growth in the US has exceeded by a substantial margin that of most other industrialized countries, particularly Japan and those in Western Europe. In large part, the difference in population trends is due to the open immigration policies in the US, although the number of new immigrants entering the country slowed during and immediately after the 2007 economic recession.

Through 2019, the US resident population is expected to grow less than 1% annually to 332 million persons, slower than the pace registered from 2004 to 2009, but in line with gains posted from 2009 to 2014. Gains will be attributable to a return to growth in the number of births and high life expectancy, and will be aided by increases in the segment of the population who are of Hispanic origin. On average, the Hispanic segment is younger than the overall US population and also has larger family sizes than is typical for all other racial and ethnic groups.

Now however, the US population as a whole can be characterized as relatively slow growing, especially when compared to the rapid growth seen in the developing areas of the world. Lower fertility rates and delays in the onset of family formation will continue to contribute to slow growth in the resident population. As in many other industrialized countries, high per capita incomes have encouraged behavioral trends that lower birth rates.

As part of its coverage, the following country markets are covered in this report: