North American CT Market Ready for Rebound

The launch of the new top tier of computed tomography (CT) imaging equipment, particularly 64-slice CT, drove the North American CT imaging equipment market toward double-digit growth rates in 2004 and 2005. New analysis revealed that the CT market earned revenues of US$1.57 billion in 2005 and estimates this to reach US$2.39 billion in 2012.

According to Frost & Sullivan (Palo Alto, CA, USA), an international growth consultancy company, equipment providers will be actively trying to address the challenges brought about by a disruptive technology. Market participants have to ensure workflow enhancements, greater clinical utility of CT, adequate end-user training, and favorable reimbursement updates for wide adoption of future equipment.

"The workflow of personnel along the entire chain of events--from exam ordering to reporting--demands better training, more efficient software, and support of an adequate IT [information technology] infrastructure,” stated Frost & Sullivan research analyst Nadim Daher. "Meanwhile, promising clinical trials and technical work-in-progress hint at yet another revolution in CT.”

The fast pace at which CT technology has evolved has overwhelmed certain end-user segments concerned with the rapid obsolescence of the technology. In the present reimbursement environment, healthcare providers cannot only depend on the exceptional cardiac imaging capabilities of this technology.

Before commercializing more powerful scanners, market participants will have to attempt at further reducing manufacturing costs to offset negative reimbursement trends and guarantee the economical viability of advanced CT purchases, according to Frost & Sullivan.

The development of cardiac CT imaging has revitalized the North American CT market. Going forward, market growth is contingent upon the expansion of CT in this and other specialty imaging areas. In fact, clinicians are eagerly awaiting advances in cardiac and coronary artery imaging.

"Current users of 64-slice CT technology find that image quality has room for improvements, especially its low-contrast resolution for better plaque characterization capabilities,” noted Mr. Daher. "Larger detector coverage and multi-energy imaging will transform advanced CT imaging.”


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