Medical Radiation Shielding Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Product Type (High Barriers, Booths And Shield, High-Density Concrete Blocks, Lead Acrylic, Lead Bricks, Lead Curtains, Lead Glass, Lead Lined Doors & Windows, Lead Lined Drywalls, Lead Lined Plywood, Lead-Lined Doors And Windows, MRI Shielding Products, Sheet Lead, X-Ray Rooms), By Solution [Radiation Therapy Shielding (Brachytherapy, Cyclotron, Linear Accelerator, Multimodality, Proton Therapy), Diagnostic Shielding (CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, PET & SPECT, X-Ray)], By End-User (Hospitals, Diagnostics Centers), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2022 To 2027

The medical radiation shielding market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.36% to reach US$1,939.117 million by 2027, from US$1,179.854 million in 2020.

While the radiation doses utilized in image-guided procedures are generally considered low, there have been instances where significant effects of chronic low-dose radiation exposure to the procedural staff have occurred. Moreover, an increment in brain cancer, an increased incidence of skin, thyroid, breast cancers, and melanomas, a higher incidence of stroke and atherosclerotic disease, an increased risk of developing cataracts, decreased memory and verbal fluency, and a higher frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in those who performed fluoroscopically-guided interventional procedures have been observed.

Moreover, a host of other medical procedures make use of radiation that requires shielding. Thus, the medical radiation shielding market has been witnessing an increasing rate of investment, innovation, and development of products. Currently, the medical staff is at high risk due to increasing exposure to radiation. To avoid the risk, the physicians must wear lead gowns to protect parts of their organs, but the bulky gowns are quite painful on the back, which is a common complaint among doctors who practice in these fields of medicine. Furthermore, because of the radiation that enters their eyes, the majority of them develop cataracts. Also, because their heads are not shielded, they are more likely to develop brain tumours than the general population. To tackle this issue several organizations are developing new offerings. In May 2019, for instance, in India, Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR-AMPRI) developed lead-free radiation shielding tiles, that prevent radiation from leaks without the use of lead tiles. Of the product number of tiles, certain numbers of tiles have been installed of which 2600 tiles have been installed at Saideep Hospital, Ahmednagar in Maharashtra in three X-Ray rooms, a CT Scan Room, and a Cathlab. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of the Government of India has approved the shielding effectiveness of CSIR-AMPRI tiles. Furthermore, there is a permissible limit put in place by various governments across different nations. However, prolonged exposure takes a toll on the health of medical professionals and radiation experts, further developing into cancer in many cases. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and is estimated to be responsible for 609,360 deaths in the US alone in 2022 with 1.9 million estimated new cases in 2022, according to the American Cancer Society. Furthermore, WHO estimates that cancer is the cause of at least one in six deaths.

The aforementioned is an example of the growing number of deaths caused by malignant neoplasms in Singapore, to suggest a national perspective. Thus, the number of diagnostic imaging centers has increased significantly during the past few years due to the increasing prevalence of cancer, adding impetus to the market growth. The materials that form the basis of setting up diagnostic chambers are expected to be in high demand during the forecast period. Thus, the need for innovation has also led companies like Radium Incorporated to bring about innovation branded as ClearView Radiation Shielding™ which is claimed to 50$ lighter in weight than lead for a comparable attenuation from higher energy gammas. Additionally, it also protects more efficiently than lead glass. Additionally, it was granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office in May 2019 under U.S. Patent No. 10,262,763. Thus, it can be clearly outlined that the need for medical radiation shielding materials will reach a zenith and the result of the same will lead to exponential medical radiation shielding growth.

Key Developments in the market

• In March 2022, Rampart IC, a medical device firm, and Japan Lifeline entered into a partnership after signing an exclusive distribution contract. According to the deal, the latter would be distributing the former's radiation shielding equipment in Japan following the regulatory approval later this year. 
• In June 2019, Corning Inc., a New York-based multinational pioneer in radiation shielding glass solutions for nuclear, medical, and radiation applications announced that two of its products, Corning® Med-X® Glass and Corning® Med-Gamma® Glass, have been registered and are in compliance with FDA rules. With the help of superior radiation-shielding glass, Corning is able to promote public health, safety, and security, as shown by this compliance. With this development, Corning became the first radiation-shielding glass manufacturer on the market to provide its clients and their end customers with full compliance and traceability complying with FDA criteria.

COVID-19 Insights

COVID-19 had a negative impact on the global medical radiation shielding market. The spike is due to the nature of the diagnosis of the coronavirus, which often causes pneumonia. When the sides of the lungs appear white on chest X-rays, the case often involves either pneumonia or a coronavirus infection. This means that radiography is needed to more accurately diagnose those who are infected with the virus but show no symptoms or to observe progress in coronavirus patients suffering from pneumonia. Thus, amid the pandemic, the market witnessed a surge in demand for radiation shielding products.

Segmentation

• By Product Type
  • High Barriers, Booths, and Shields
  • High-Density Concrete Blocks
  • Lead Acrylic
  • Lead Bricks
  • Lead Curtains
  • Lead Glass
  • Lead Lined Doors & Windows
  • Lead Lined Drywall
  • Lead Lined Plywood
  • Lead-Lined Doors and Windows
  • MRI Shielding Products
  • Sheet Lead
  • X-Ray Rooms
• By Solution
  • Radiation Therapy Shielding
    • Brachytherapy
    • Cyclotron
    • Linear Accelerator
    • Multimodality
    • Proton Therapy
  • Diagnostic Shielding
    • CT
    • MRI
    • Nuclear Medicine
    • PET & SPECT
    • X-Ray
• By End User
  • Hospitals
  • Diagnostics Centers
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Others
  • The Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Taiwan
    • Others