Despite the continuing controversy about the benefits of breast cancer screening, as well as the decline in the number of breast imaging facilities over the last decade, the breast imaging systems market in the U.S. should experience modest growth through 2016, according to a recent report from Frost & Sullivan.
The report, "Analysis of the U.S. Breast Imaging Systems Market," found that the market earned revenues of $1 billion in 2011, which should increase to $1.4 billion by 2016. Growth in the market will be driven by increased revenues in the X-ray mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging segments.
The report points out that conflicting recommendations concerning the age at which women should undergo mammography screening has helped to suppress growth, as has the consolidation of breast imaging provider market.
"The number of breast imaging facilities in the United States declined by nearly 7 percent from 2002 to 2011, resulting in an even greater decline in the mammography system installed base," Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Roberto Aranibar, said in an announcement. "This had a significant impact on market growth, given its large dependency on system replacements."
Despite this, the growing prevalence of breast cancer and increasing volume of surgical procedures, new breast density notification laws, and the development new technologies has spurred overall growth.
"Expanding breast density reporting laws are prompting increases in supplemental screening procedure volumes that, in turn, are creating a growing demand for newer technologies that improve diagnostic accuracy, while also increasing productivity," Aranibar said. "One such technology, automated breast ultrasound [ABUS], was recently approved for supplemental screening, and reimbursement for another such technology, breast tomosynthesis, is expected to become available soon."
To learn more:
- see the report
- read the announcement