Report: Global ultrasound market to reach $6B by 2012
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| Smaller ultrasound systems are leading the global market. Image Source: Doctor Today |
The “flexibility, ease of use and relatively low cost of ultrasound equipment has ensured continued growth in the market despite the current economic conditions. Moreover, the trend to miniaturization and the quick adoption of hand-carried ultrasound equipment is fuelling growth,” according to InMedica,
“There is an increasing confidence in hand-carried systems globally. Previously the adoption of these systems was much quicker in North America and Western Europe but other regions of the world, such as Eastern Europe, Latin America and parts of the Asia Pacific, are beginning to show significant interest in this equipment. The demand is coming from traditional applications, such as OB/GYN, and increasingly from point-of-care applications,” said Diane Wilkinson, Market Research Analyst at InMedica.
“The global ultrasound market is being driven by the need to maximize space, time and efficiency and hand-carried systems are evolving to adapt to any given environment. This can be seen by an increase in the number of hand-carried products designed for specific applications, such as nerve blocking, musculoskeletal and breast imaging,” Wilkinson continued.
The Wellingborough, England-based InMedica said the downturn in the economy also favors the lower-end of the cart-based ultrasound equipment market with more growth found in the mid-range segment, and a higher growth forecast than usual for the low-end segment, particularly in 2009.
“There is a step-wise movement away from very high-end systems due to the increasing functionality and picture quality of systems at the lower end of the market. The improving quality and functionality of lower-end systems is helping to stabilize prices in an otherwise price competitive market,” according to the report.