Market Trends of North America Nuclear Imaging Industry
The Oncology Segment of the PET Applications is Expected to Witness Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning is carried out for the diagnosis and study of cancer by revealing the biochemical or metabolic functions of the tissue under study. The abnormal biochemical or metabolic activities in the tissue enable the identification or location of the tumor or cancer site/tissue. The wide applications of PET scans in cancer studies, increasing cases of cancer, and advancing research are expected to create more demand for PET scans for cancer. Several research studies have highlighted the wide applications and advantages of PET scans alone and in combination with other techniques for the management of the treatment and diagnosis of cancer.
- A study published in the Journal of Cancer in March 2022 mentioned that PET and computer tomography (CT) scans enabled the assessment of the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using chemoradiation. The study further mentioned that the repetitive PET/CT scans offered the clarity of the diagnosis in the patients who had an incomplete post-treatment scan, and it decreased the need for biopsies and neck dissections, which are often not necessary. Further, another study published in the Journal of Cancer in June 2022 underlined that PET/CT has diverse oncologic applications with its advanced imaging modality. PET/CT enables the staging, restaging, longitudinal surveillance, and therapeutic assessment of cancer therapy.
- Therefore, the oncology segment of PET applications is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the abovementioned factors, including the wide applications of PET in the management of a wide variety of cancer and diagnostic benefits offered by PET.
The United States is Expected to Dominate the North America Nuclear Imaging Market
- The United States is expected to dominate the market owing to factors such as the high prevalence of chronic diseases, high healthcare expenditure, advanced medical infrastructure and research, and the presence of leading players in the country. The country has a high prevalence of chronic diseases, which necessitates the use of nuclear imaging for the diagnosis and management of the disease.
- For instance, as per the data published by the National Brain Tumor Society in 2023, over 700,000 were estimated to have primary brain tumors, and over 88,970 more patients were estimated to be diagnosed in the United States in 2022. According to data published by the World Nuclear Association in April 2022, over 20 million procedures of nuclear medicine are performed every year in the United States.
- Furthermore, the presence of the leading players in the country and their key developments are boosting the growth of the market. For instance, in November 2023, Siemens Healthineers has received FDA clearance for its Biograph Vision.X, a PET/CT scanner boasting an industry-leading time of flight (TOF) of 178 picoseconds (ps). This marks the fastest TOF in the market. The Biograph Vision.X is the latest addition to Siemens Healthineers' renowned Biograph Vision scanner family, enhancing on its already established performance.
- Further, in June 2024, the QEII Health Sciences Centre, part of Nova Scotia Health, has made history by becoming the inaugural Canadian health facility to adopt GE HealthCare's StarGuide SPECT/CT scanner. This cutting-edge nuclear medicine scanner employs advanced 3-D imaging, empowering physicians to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer and heart conditions with unprecedented precision. These continuous developments in the region are anticipated to drive the growth of the market in the country.
- Therefore, owing to the aforesaid factors, the growth of the studied market is anticipated in the North American region.