Demand in the U.S. for medical imaging technology is expected to jump 6 percent by 2010 and hit the $21.4 billion mark, according to new research by The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm. The growth will be driven largely by investment by hospitals and outpatient facilities in new scanners and other products with increased testing capabilities in order to boost workflow and quality of care.

The up tick has already begun, with the market already seeing a 6.8 percent increase this year compared to 2005. The organization views the growth in investment in multidetector CT scanners one specific reason for the growth. Other factors that will contribute to the growth moving to 2010: installations of high-field MRI machines, new hybrid PET/CT systems, digital x-ray units and nuclear medicine technology.

Otherwise, the demand for medical imaging consumables is projected to go up 3.6 percent (to $5.3 billion) in 2010. According to the firm, some of the biggest growth in this area will be radiopharmaceuticals due to the increasing number of nuclear medicine and PET procedures being performed. The market for contrast agents is expected to only see moderate gains, according to the research.