Optical Coherence Tomography Market To Reach $800 Million by 2012

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an innovative imaging modality that is quickly becoming the most effective optics technology to date in the field of disease diagnostics.

Invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA, USA) in the early 1990s and first commercialized for medical imaging applications by Carl Zeiss (Oberkochen, Germany) in 1996, OCT provides fast, high-resolution diagnostic images for a variety of clinical applications. In fact, OCT has the potential to replace existing imaging technologies in some medical specialties.

According to a new market research report, from a new newsletter called BioOptics World (Nashua, NH, USA), which quantifies this rapidly growing market for the first time, the global market for OCT systems is currently approximately US$200 million and growing at an annual rate of 34%. This growth is expected to continue at this pace for the next several years, with revenues topping $800 million by 2012.

While the first commercial application of OCT-- ophthalmology-- should remain the dominant application through 2012, new applications and products are emerging in cardiology, dentistry, cancer detection, glucose monitoring, and dermatology. In particular, commercial activity for OCT in intravascular imaging has been gaining momentum over the past 12 months, and this sector looks to be the next growth market for OCT technologies.

Much of this activity is being driven by a shift from time-domain to Fourier-domain OCT. While similar in theory and design, the Fourier-domain systems offer twice the resolution and 50 to 100 times the image-acquisition speed. In addition, because the Fourier-domain technique is not protected under the original closely held patents that have limited competition with time-domain systems, a number of companies are now developing or marketing Fourier-domain OCT products, according to the report.

"In 2006, a number of companies introduced ‘spectral domain' systems to the ophthalmic market,” said Greg Smolka, author of the OCT report. "These systems offer not only much faster image capture but, more important, much higher image accuracy. The new spectral-domain instruments generated a lot of buzz at the 2007 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, and many see them becoming the dominant imaging system in ophthalmology.”

At least 18 companies are actively developing and/or manufacturing OCT systems, with many more supplying the key optical sources, detectors, and related photonics components that enable the various OCT products and applications. As this technology continues to penetrate new markets, opportunities exist for photonics companies in optical sources, detection, and delivery systems.

Comprising a bi-monthly magazine, e-Newsletter, and web site, BioOptics World focuses on the design, development, and utilization of optical technologies for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and disease processes. Launched in January 2008, BioOptics World is intended for researchers and engineers involved in the design and fabrication of optical components and systems used in the life sciences, and for scientists and clinicians who utilize these systems.


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