Global Breast Imaging Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Procedure (Screening Mammography, Diagnostic Mammography, Breast Tomosynthesis, Breast Ultrasound, Brest MRI, Others), By End-User (Hospitals, Diagnostic Centers, Research Laboratories), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The breast imaging market was valued at US$ 5.531 billion in 2020.

The rising prevalence of breast cancer is leading to an increase in the adoption of enhanced and advanced machines and testing methods in order to help patients and make them more aware of the importance of getting tested in the early stages in order to minimize the risks associated. According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is among the most common types of cancer that affect women in both developed and developing countries. The reason for the low survival rates of women that are suffering from breast cancer is mainly due to the lack of early detection programs and a lack of awareness among women to go for routine checkups, which results in the detection at a later stage. In addition, according to the American Cancer Society, the death rate among women with breast cancer has increased from 1.3% per year from the time-period 2013 to 2017. In addition, since 2007, the rate of deaths has been higher in women who are older than 50 years.

Additionally, according to the estimates provided by the American Cancer Society, approx. 276,480 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women that are living in the U.S., coupled with approximately 48,530 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. The rates of women in the U.S. dying from breast cancer are even higher than those dying from lung cancer. Besides, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer apart from skin cancer among U.S. women. The increasing cases of breast cancer and the increasing death rate are generating awareness among women to get timely and routine checkups so that cancer can be detected in the early stages and risks can be minimized. Hence, this is resulting in an increase in the demand for breast imaging equipment and technologies and leading to a surge in market growth.

The use of better and more advanced techniques of breast imaging is leading to the acceleration in the development of better breast imaging machines and equipment, thus leading to an increase in the efficiency of tests and the provision of faster results

The adoption of newer breast imaging methods has increased, including molecular breast imaging (MBI), also known as scintimammography or breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI). It is a specific kind of breast imaging test in nuclear medicine. A chemical is injected into the patient's blood during this treatment, and a specialized camera is then used to view the inside of the breast. This is being used majorly as a way to follow up on breast problems such as a lump or an abnormal mammogram or to determine the extent of the breast cancer that has been diagnosed already. It is a test that can be used for women who have dense breasts.

However, there is a drawback to hit imaging and testing techniques, which is that the whole body is exposed to radiation and is used limitedly.

Electrical impedance test (EIT), contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), positron emission mammography (PEM),  and optical imaging tests are a few of the other tests that are being employed. The PEM test is a relatively new test for the breast, and it is becoming increasingly similar to the PET scan. In this test, a form of sugar is attached to the radioactive particle that is injected for the proper detection of cancer cells, and it can easily facilitate the detection of the smaller cancer cell clusters within the breast.

The CEM test is referred to as Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) as well and makes use of a contrast dye that contains iodine and is injected into the vein a few minutes before taking two sets of mammograms at two different energy levels. This contrast is able to help the x-rays display the abnormal areas that are present in the breasts and is able to help the examiners study the extent of breast cancer. One of the benefits of this test is that it is less expensive than an MRI. Optical imaging tests pass light into the breasts and measure the growth of cancerous cells by analyzing and measuring the light that is returning or passing through the tissue.

The EIT can facilitate the scanning of electrical conductivity in the breast as cancer cells conduct electricity differently from normal cells. Therefore, as these techniques are coming and are slowly being incorporated as testing methods, it will provide an opportunity for the market players to upgrade their product portfolios and offer enhanced machines for these tests, thus contributing to market growth over the forecast period.

Technological advancements and the development of sophisticated breast imaging solutions are anticipated to supplement the market growth.

The better, advanced, and diverse varieties of breast imaging technologies with enhanced properties can effectively detect and monitor the spread of cancer cells. These products are being launched by existing and new players in different markets and are estimated to lead to increased adoption and propel market growth further over the forecast period. In November 2019, Candelis, Inc. announced the launch of their new product called the "Advanced Breast Imaging Workstation, which is an enhancement of their existing ImageGrid Platform. It is able to support the mammography and tomosynthesis images from Hologic, GE, Siemens, Planmed, and Giotto and supports the viewing and proper analysis of the images that have been acquired by the imaging systems by GE, Siemens, Hitachi, and iVu.

The North American region is to hold a considerable share over the forecast period, and the Asia-Pacific region is to increase its share

The North American region is expected to hold a significant share of the market owing to the rising prevalence of breast cancer and the increasing death rate from breast cancer among U.S. women, which is pushing the market players to increase investments in better imaging solutions and make women more aware. In addition, the Asia Pacific region is expected to increase its share over the forecast period owing to the fact that there are initiatives being taken to improve the state of the diagnostic center and diagnostic facilities.

Key developments:

• In February 2022, UNC REX Healthcare collaborated with Wake Radiology to enhance access to specialized imaging solutions and minimize the treatment costs for patients. Through this development, Wake Radiology UNC REX Healthcare is now operating about 14 outpatient imaging locations in the U.S., offering comprehensive 3D mammography technologies, including other diagnostic imaging solutions.
• In November 2021, Volpra Healthcare showcased its AI-based breast software solutions to facilitate the offering of customized breast care to patients. The integrated platform is developed on the vast database comprising 50 million mammogram images, facilitating the physicians to offer a personalized, enhanced, and high-quality cancer screening experience. The software tools offer a seamless, integrated I.T. workflow and objective data for supporting clinical decisions. Software options include risk assessments for specific women that are in conformity with all significant U.S. regulations, as well as enterprise-wide quality analyses.

COVID-19 Insights:

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the global breast imaging market. The lack of PPE for healthcare professionals in the initial phase of the pandemic led to the rapid spread of the virus among patients and healthcare professionals. Consequently, this led to the postponement of breast imaging scans across the globe. In March 2020, the Canadian Association of Radiologists and the Canadian Society of Breast Imaging jointly recommended postponing all mammography scans by 6-8 weeks based on the level of emergency and condition of the patients. Such factors have caused the market to decline amid the pandemic.

Global Breast Imaging Market Scope:

Segmentation:

• By Procedure
  • Screening Mammography
  • Diagnostic Mammography
  • Breast Tomosynthesis
  • Breast Ultrasound
  • Breast MRI
  • Others
• By End-User
  • Hospitals
  • Diagnostic Centers
  • Research Laboratories
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Spain
    • Italy
    • Others
  • The Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Others