Diagnostic ultrasound Market
Radiology ultrasound
The
phrase “radiology ultrasound” refers only to standard ultrasound equipment
located within the radiology department of a hospital for primary diagnostic
purpose. The term “radiology” in radiology ultrasound does not imply that there
are dedicated ultrasound units that employ radiation to acquire images. In the
past this has led to some confusion as to whether ultrasound equipment utilizes
sound waves or some form of radiation. All imaging modalities except ultrasound
employ some form of radioactive source and all equipment for primary diagnosis
is located in the radiology department. While ultrasound is also a primary
diagnosis tool, physicians and technicians commonly use the phrase “radiology
ultrasound” merely to denote that the ultrasound equipment located in the
radiology department.
Radiology
ultrasound (sometimes known as general ultrasound) is recommended by physicians
for assessing the abnormal conditions of internal organs such as biliary
tissues, liver, spleen, abdomen, and pancreas. For specific cases, the standard
ultrasound is also helpful in determining malignant cells of the abdomen,
tumors associated with the pancreas and colon, and assessing stomach pain and
other acute pain in the body. Hospitals across the globe have installed bases
for the general ultrasound machines, but given their limited diagnostic
capabilities, the market for radiology ultrasound has reached a saturation
point with sales growth registering less than 2% in 2010 globally. Business
Insights believes that the sales of modern ultrasound equipment having
organ-specific imaging capability will over shadow the sales of general
ultrasound equipment.
Cardiology ultrasound
Cardiology
ultrasound, also known as echocardiography, is the primary diagnostic tool for
assessing heart characteristics. Most hospitals and diagnostic clinics globally
perform echocardiography in their facility. One of the drawbacks of the
cardiology ultrasound is its price, which ranges from $150,000 to $250,000.
Owing to the impact of the economic recession in 2008, many hospitals were budget-constrained
and favored the purchase of low to medium priced ultrasound equipment.
Therefore the sales of cardiology ultrasound equipment dropped in the last
three years. This, combined with the influence of low-cost ultrasound
manufacturers from Asia (China in particular), affected the growth rates of
cardiology ultrasound. However, the important thing to note is that cardiology
ultrasound is a vital resource in hospitals, offering accurate diagnosis for
heart disorders in comparison with other modalities. Business Insights predicts
that the sale of cardiology ultrasound will rise again in 2011 and beyond,
sustaining its global growth rate of 3–4%. The reasons Business Insights
expects the cardiology ultrasound market to bounce back in sales are as follows:
- Most of the nations are out of recession, which is particularly noticeable in parts of Europe and Japan, where hospital budget constraints have been lifted and medical imaging manufacturers are offering attractive purchasing options to hospitals using high-end cardiology ultrasound.
- The emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China are for the first time investing in high-end product purchases owing to restructured government healthcare initiatives and construction of new hospital facilities.
- The adoption of information technology (IT) enabled healthcare services such as Picture Archives and Communication System (PACS) and Cardiology Information System (CIS) in large hospitals and research universities is accentuating medical image diagnosis. Cardiology ultrasound is one sector that benefits highly from such clinical systems.
Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB/GYN) ultrasound
Women’s
healthcare initiatives promoted by the government and ultrasound companies are
among the major drivers for innovations and increased adoption of OB/GYN
ultrasound. This segment experienced high growth of 8–12% in terms of
ultrasound sales during 2003–2006, particularly in the US and Europe, as
prominent features were available on the ultrasound machines that enhanced diagnosis
in women’s health. However, since 2007 the growth rate of OB/GYN ultrasound has
been moderate, ranging from 3–5% in developed economies such as Europe, the US,
and Japan, and 6–8% in emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, and
Russia.
Advances
in image post-processing software have significantly aided the OB/GYN
ultrasound segment by allowing radiologists and obstetricians to make better
decisions by reducing the probability for false positive diagnosis. Other
advances aiding women’s healthcare are the availability of 3D and 4D technology
in ultrasound. The 3D feature provides full volumetric image of an internal
organ or tissue either in color or black and white. 4D imaging is also like the
3D image feature, with the added benefit of allowing the physician to view the
image in real-time, whereby the movement or functioning of the internal organ
is shown on the display monitor. In other words, 4D imaging can also be
referred to as dynamic 3D imaging. The 3D/4D feature is available on most of the
modern ultrasound machines and its applications are widely used by the OB/GYN
department.
The
3D/4D feature is widely employed in the OB/GYN department for diagnosing
skeletal dysplasia, placental abnormalities, endometrial hyperplasia, pelvic
pathologies, fetal biopsies, fetal heart evaluations, and the existence of
tumors (combined with contrast media). One of the drawbacks is the lack of
standardization for 3D/4D features coming from various manufacturers because
the user-interface, functionality, and targeted organ displays are different.
Business Insights is of the opinion that standardization in 3D/4D features
would increase ultrasound purchases because the operator need not meticulously
maneuver the 3D image acquisition probe (unlike a 2D probe) and it would also
allow the learning syllabus be harmonized, thereby improving the ability of
ultrasound technicians to operate equipment at its full potential.
Surgical ultrasound
Surgical
ultrasound is extensively used in the operating room (OR) for its ability to
visualize internal organs, tissues, and veins at the best clarity. The surgical
ultrasound equipment assists physicians, nurses, and anesthesiologists who map
for vascular insertions and examine blood flow in vessels. It also assists
vascular surgeons by clearly providing images of varicose veins in real time.
These machines also quantify the location of anatomical structures, detect
complex joints during surgeries, and evaluate intra-abdominal and intrathoracic
fluid during preoperative assessment. Before the introduction of surgical
ultrasound, vascular ultrasound machines were used in operating rooms and they
cost over $200,000. The introduction of transcranial Doppler (TCD) technology
has replaced vascular ultrasound systems in surgical operations. The TCD
assesses intracranial circulation during surgery to assist physicians during
cerebral perfusion. Laparoscopic ultrasound and TCD are also considered as
surgical ultrasound equipment that finds many applications during surgery.
Surgical
ultrasound has triggered the new wave of innovations in ultrasound. Owing to
its versatility, it has been quickly adopted by some western European
countries. Nations such as Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Belgium are known to
adopt new medical technology faster that other nations. However, the lack of
qualified operating staff is a major hindrance to the application of surgical
ultrasound systems. As noted previously regarding the OG/GYN ultrasound system
with advanced 3D/4D features, surgical ultrasound machines do not have a proper
standardization in place, and existing ultrasound staff and physicians in
hospitals have to devote many training hours in addition to their daily duties
to learn the functionalities of surgical ultrasound.
One
of the major drivers for the surgical ultrasound segment is the adoption of
laparoscopic ultrasound machines. Minimally invasive surgeries, such as
laparoscopic surgery, have been rising sharply over the last five to seven
years. The recovery time is quicker for the patients, there are fewer scar
marks on the body in comparison with traditional surgical methods, and the
patient also incurs lower hospital service costs owing to faster discharge from
the hospital. Additionally, laparoscopic ultrasound is used for tumor and
biliary stone detection, parenchymal evaluations, and executing pancreatic
biopsies. With the aid of contrast media, laparoscopic ultrasound is also used
for other biopsies and characterization of liver lesions. The overall outlook
for the surgical ultrasound market looks positive with increased adoption from
2011 because these systems are portable and hospitals consider equipment
portability as worthy investment.
Urology ultrasound
With
a rise in the elderly population globally, particularly in the North American and
European regions, urology ultrasound is a high-growth segment because in
addition to the hospitals many private clinics have a high need for this
technology. Urology ultrasound is used for the assessment and evaluation of
kidneys, the bladder, prostate glands, and testicles, and for conducting
brachytherapy. The advantages associated with urology ultrasound include:
- low cost
- portability
- no requirement for specialized training for ultrasound technicians
- availability of advanced post-processing software for urology application to enable better diagnosis.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
As
the name implies, musculoskeletal ultrasound is used for acquiring images of
muscles, joints, tendons, and soft tissues to detect fractures, muscle tears,
bone dislocations, and lumps. An area where this technology finds greatest
application is sports medicine, where it is used by physiotherapists and
orthopedic surgeons. The uniqueness of this technology lies in its probe
design, whereby a series of transducers are arranged linearly within the probe
to specifically operate from 7–12MHz. This frequency range is supposedly ideal
for visualizing bone joints and muscles. In the last three to five years,
introduction of 3D features to this ultrasound has increased its adoption rates.
However, as noted before, the adoption growth rates of musculoskeletal
ultrasound is low (less than 3%) because of a lack of standardization for its
advanced functionalities that require intensive training for even the most
qualified ultrasound technicians. Because of this reason, the adoption of
musculoskeletal ultrasound is mostly limited to private hospitals and sports
medicine clinics.
Endoscopic ultrasound
Endoscopic
ultrasound is used for tumor diagnosis associated with the throat, abdomen, and
colon and for evaluating submucosal lesions in intestines. This ultrasound is
in its nascent stage and owing to its niche diagnostic abilities very few
hospitals have purchased this machine because prices range from $80,000 to
$100,000. This, combined with the fact that there is hardly any reimbursement
for procedures done with such machines, renders them as a non-viable investment
for many hospitals. In the North American region, endoscopic ultrasound is used
in large metropolitan hospitals, private hospitals specializing in specific
surgeries, and medical research universities. In Europe, only those geographies
that are known to quickly adopt new technology, such as Scandinavia and
Benelux, have purchased endoscopic ultrasound in their hospitals, benefiting
from their government’s high investments in healthcare budgets. According to
Business Insight’s analysis, the global market for endoscopic ultrasound was
less than $30m in 2010.
