U.S. Breast Imaging Market to Nearly Double by 2017

The U.S. breast imaging and mammography markets are expected to not only recover from the recession, but nearly double in the next several years.

By 2017, the markets are expected to reach more than $1 billion, according to a new report by iData Research, a medical device and pharmaceutical market research company. The growth is expected to be driven by the replacement of older analog equipment with technologies such as digital radiography, breast-specific gamma imaging, positron emission mammography, and ultrasound equipment.

Leading the overall $2.3 billion women’s health market with sales of digital radiography equipment are Hologic and GE Healthcare, the report found. The development of breast-specific gamma imaging by Dilon Technologies and Gamma Medical, and positron emission mammography by Naviscan mean a new market for breast scans, and these technologies will experience “rapid growth,” according to Dr. Kamran Zamanian, CEO of iData.

“The majority of analog units used in 2010 are expected to be replaced by 2017,” Zamanian said in a statement.