Information technology market research company Frost & Sullivan released a report this month, “Assessing Ultrasound's Market Potential within Emerging Clinical Points of Care,” that analyzes the reasons behind recent growth in this market.
Ultrasound, often associated with its use in developing pregnancies, has found a place in other medical procedures by offering a safe, cost-effective method of diagnosing abnormalities. Specifically, practitioners can use it to determine where best to place needles and to find defects in muscles, nerves and joints.
These benefits gave the technology much life in 2014, when it gained $3.66 billion. Srikanth Kompalli, a research analyst at Frost & Sullivan, commented that the method of using ultrasound can replace otherwise harmful methods of detecting bodily defects.
“Greater awareness of the harmful effects of radiation exposure in other imaging modalities, and the ability to provide additional care at the patient site, are driving the market for point-of care ultrasonography,” Kompalli said. “This trend is causing emerging clinical segments to outstrip the established ones such as radiology, cardiology, and obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) in North America, Latin America, and Western Europe.”
Clearly, Kompalli's statement adds even more detail to the discussion. First, he makes the case that practitioners can easily take ultrasound machines to where patients are located. This can make it a useful tools for everyone from paramedics to traveling doctors who visit patients in remote areas. Traditional tissue scanning machines do not offer such portability, so the addition of similar capability into a small, portable package could do wonders for remote care.
It also appears that the use of ultrasonography has taken hold across many segments of the globe and in many medical departments. Setting aside the argument for remote care, there is still room for ultrasound machines inside hospitals and care centers, and a range of offices appears to have taken to the technology. Furthermore, the large geographical areas listed above make it clear that this new way of handling patient care could reach many hospital visitors.
Traditional clinical applications still dominate the market. However, medical product developers are working hard to add real-time imaging and 3D/4D transducers to increase the benefits of using their machines. They will have an uphill battle against tight budgets for medical procedures, but much potential appears to be rising on the front.
Edited by
Dominick Sorrentino
