Global Market for Contrast Agents Expected to Surge

Annual growth for medical contrast media is expected to be strong over the next several years, driving the market for everything from x-ray and computed tomography (CT) contrast agents to radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine, to more than US$15 billion by 2010, according to a medical imaging market report.

With anticipated growth rates ranging from 10-20% for contrast agents used with most modalities, the global market is expected to surge, according to market research firm Kalorama Information (Rockville, MD, USA). Ultrasound contrasting agents, currently making up 13% of the market, are expected to fare extremely well with annual growth rates in the 25-40% range, bringing revenues in this sector from less than $1 billion in 2006 to $4 billion in 2010. At that time, ultrasound contrasting agents will make up more than one-quarter of the market, eating into the current dominance of x-ray agents which make up more than 50% of the current market.

On the cusp of development are highly anticipated contrast agents to aid in the detection of neurologic disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); blood pool agents for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), which is emerging as a viable means of assessing blood vessels; and both diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, which could have potential for the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

"Improved contrasting media will be significant in achieving early, cost- and life-saving diagnoses,” noted Joseph Constance, the report's author. "However, developers of new contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals are faced with regulatory requirements to prove both safety and efficacy of their products, which is particularly important in the development of new agents based on novel chemistries.”


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