INDUSTRY NEWS

Ultrasound growth driven by hand-carried devices


The world medical ultrasound equipment, accessories, and maintenance services market is expected to reach $4.7 billion by 2012, according to market research firm Marketstrat. The firm projected higher growth rates toward the end of this period, as global economic conditions stabilize and lead to sizeable increases in healthcare expenditures, particularly in high-end capital equipment acquisition.

The report predicted that growth in the ultrasound market will be driven by demand for hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) devices and penetration of emerging geographic and clinical markets. Overall, growth in medical imaging will continue due to growing populations of elderly people, with a concurrent rise in chronic disease rates, which presents new opportunities for expansion.

The authors noted that the "main restraints in the ultrasound market include the sluggish economy in many countries, reimbursement restrictions and competition from MRI and CT in areas of overlapping applications."

The report also discussed the contribution of technology in driving the ultrasound market forward, with HCU systems being the most significant. After Sonosite introduced HCUs in 1999, GE Healthcare quickly established a base in the compact and hand-carried device segment with a range of HCUs. The original devices were focused on providing portability and minimizing storage space, although image quality was compromised.

According to the report, the current generation of HCUs are poised to capture a large share of the global ultrasound market. The analysts wrote that GE and Sonosite have expanded their range, offered greater functionality and improved performance at a lower cost. Therefore, other imaging companies such as Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare and Toshiba America Medical Systems are launching new products to tap into this market, competing against niche players, such as Aloka, Biosound Esaote and Zonare Medical Systems.

HCUs and convertible, compact, cart-based ultrasound devices offer new opportunities both in traditionally safe markets--U.S., Europe and Japan--as well as the emerging healthcare markets of Asia and Latin America, according to Marketstrat. These latter regions will continue to see healthcare facility expansion, and will be the primary markets for new equipment purchases in the future.

The report designated a number of HCU features which could attract imaging market in all regions:
  • Price: Available at a fraction of the cost of a large cart-based system, HCUs are more accessible to providers in developing countries. In the U.S., Western Europe, Canada and Japan, the low price of HCUs are attractive to physician-based practices, as well as hospitals looking to acquire more imaging devices.
  • Portability: Miniaturization expands utility significantly. HCU devices can be used for a range of point-of-care applications, from the emergency room to the operating room to the physician's office.
  • Ease of use: Technological advances make them easy to use by non-radiologist physicians.
  • Improved functionality: High-end devices feature improved resolution, color Doppler and volumetric imaging along with specialized diagnostic software.

The authors noted that one of the hurdles in the advancement of ultrasound is the issue of contrast agents.

GE's Optison, Lantheus Medical Imaging's Definity and Bracco Diagnostics' SonoVue were recently issued warnings, contraindicating use of these contrast agents for certain cardiology applications. Some of these regulatory restrictions against cardiac ultrasound agents have been eased. However, new applications such as contrast-enhanced liver and breast ultrasound will take time to become established procedures.
Last updated on August 1, 2009 at 11:13 am EST