High-growth Areas Propel Overall Ultrasound Market

The ultrasound market in the United States was estimated to reach $1.27 billion in 2003. Frost & Sullivan has identified three areas that are expected to exhibit higher growth rates than the overall market. The first is a relatively new product category - hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) units. Growing from a $5-million market in 1999 to over $96 million in 2003, these high-performance portable, affordable systems are accelerating the proliferation of ultrasound imaging to medical specialties other than cardiology, radiology, and OB/GYN. Even within these traditional clinical segments, cardiology ultrasound is showing an exciting pipeline of technological innovations and strong procedural volume growth. Lastly, adoption of ultrasound imaging by new user groups - surgeons, anesthesiologists, and emergency physicians - is also spurring the ultrasound market growth.

This Frost & Sullivan research analyzes the U.S. markets for ultrasound imaging equipment. The study covers ultrasound imaging equipment in radiology, cardiology, OB/GYN, and other clinical areas. For each segment, revenue, unit shipment, and installed base forecasts are provided, along with an overview of the competitive structure and market share breakdowns, where available.

HCU Set to Transform the Ultrasound Industry Landscape

The HCU market is driven by two technology trends - advanced PC-based architecture and rapid miniaturization. "Hand-carried ultrasound systems can reshape the U.S. ultrasound market in two ways and the industry participants will ultimately decide the direction of the market," says the analyst. On one hand, higher performance HCU systems can help expand the installed base of ultrasound equipment to include new medical users who previously could not afford the highly priced cart-based systems. However, the growing tendency of vendors to position HCU systems as lower cost replacements of cart-based systems can suppress the average selling prices of ultrasound systems, dampening overall ultrasound market revenues.

Current Demographic Trend Creates Sizeable Opportunities for Cardiology Ultrasound

"The cardiology ultrasound market is expected to experience the highest procedural volume growth rate due to the aging U.S. population - the number of ultrasound imaging procedures performed by cardiologists has been increasing at 10 percent and more annually since 2000," says the analyst.

In addition, Medicare reimbursement for echocardiography procedures is very rich compared to reimbursement for radiology and OB/GYN procedures. As a result, the U.S. cardiology market is expected to be the strategic contention point amongst the "Big-3" vendors - Siemens, Philips, and GE Medical Systems. A strong pipeline of technological breakthroughs such as "Live 3D" or real-time 3D and contrast perfusion imaging will usher in a favorable cycle of upgrade and replacement for the cardiology ultrasound market.

Analysis of Growth Segments Highlights Key Opportunity Areas

The U.S. ultrasound market is a mature one that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9 percent. This research service focuses on identifying product and market segments that are expected to exhibit a higher growth rate than the overall market: hand-carried ultrasound (HCU), three new user groups - surgeons, anesthesiologists and emergency physicians, and also cardiology ultrasound market.

Analysis of HCU Ultrasound Provides Insight into the Emerging Product Category

Our research service provides forecasts on revenue, unit shipment, and installed base for this fast-growing product category in the U.S. ultrasound market and gives readers insights on how it is likely to transform the industry. The issues discussed include the ability of HCU systems to cannibalize the markets of higher priced cart-based systems and the possibility of high-performance HCU systems accelerating the acceptance of ultrasound imaging by more medical professionals.

Analysis of New User Groups Pinpoints Novel Clinical Markets

The combined market for the aforementioned three user groups is estimated to be over $70 million in 2003 and is expected to grow at over 10 percent annually through 2010. This research studies the patient care, economic incentives, and end-user educational initiatives for each segment. Marketing managers can use this information as the basis to form market development plans to target these new users.

Overview of Core Clinical Segments Provides Insight into Backbone of Ultrasound Market

The study provides revenue, unit shipment, and installed base forecast for cardiology, radiology, and OB/GYN clinical segments based on both supply- and demand-side inputs. It further explores the ways in which technological innovations such as real-time 3D, contrast perfusion imaging, availability of HCU systems coupled with procedural volume trends (based on U.S. demographic change) can affect future businesses for the three clinical segments, which account for 87 percent of the U.S. ultrasound market.

• Cardiology Ultrasound Market
• Radiology Ultrasound Market
• Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB/GYN) Ultrasound Market
• Others Ultrasound Market
• Hand-carried Ultrasound Product Segment
• New User Groups - Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Emergency Physicians

• Ultrasound Imaging: Ultrasound scanning or sonography is a method of obtaining images of internal organs by sending high-frequency sound waves into the body. The sound wave echoes are recorded and displayed as a real-time visual image. No ionizing radiation (X-ray) is involved in ultrasound imaging.
• 3D Ultrasound: Thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, ultrasound machines can capture slices of 2D images, and show it in three-dimensional ways.
• 4D Ultrasound: A marketing terminology used by some companies, 4D is the same as 3D in motion. It is also called "Live 3D" or real-time 3D.
• Hand-carried Ultrasound (HCU) Systems: A HCU device is a small ultrasound machine that is laptop-sized or smaller, and weighs less than 20 pounds. Newer HCU systems are almost as powerful as traditional cart-based ultrasound systems. They can sometimes even be docked to accessory carts to become a cart-based system.

Chapter 2

• Total Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Unit Shipments Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: HCU versus Non-HCU Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Market Drivers Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2004-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Market Restraints Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2004-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Market Opportunities Ranked in Order of Impact (U.S.), 2004-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Strategic Recommendations (U.S.), 2004-2010
• Total Ultrasound Market: Competitive Structure (U.S.), 2003
• Total Ultrasound Market: Company Market Share by Revenues (U.S.), 2003

Chapter 3

• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Procedures Performed by Cardiologists (U.S.), 1996-2002
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: HCU vs. Non-HCU Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Competitive Structure (U.S.), 2003
• Cardiology Ultrasound Market: Company Market Share by Revenues (U.S.), 2003

Chapter 4

• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Medicare Part B Non-Invasive Imaging Procedures Performed (U.S.), 1996 and 1999
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: HCU versus Non-HCU Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Competitive Structure (U.S.), 2003
• Radiology Ultrasound Market: Company Market Share by Revenues (U.S.), 2003

Chapter 5

• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Birth Rate (U.S.), 1980-2002
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: HCU and Non-HCU Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: HCU versus Non-HCU Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Competitive Structure (U.S.), 2003
• OB/GYN Ultrasound Market: Company Market Share by Revenues (U.S.), 2003

Chapter 6

• Others Ultrasound Market: Market Niche Analysis (U.S.), 2003
• Others Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• Others Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010

Chapter 7

• HCU Ultrasound Market: Revenue Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• HCU Ultrasound Market: Unit Shipment Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• HCU Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Forecasts (U.S.), 2000-2010
• HCU Ultrasound Market: Installed Base Composition (U.S.), 2000-2003
• HCU Ultrasound Market: Moore's Law
• HCU Ultrasound Market: Company Market Share by Revenues (U.S.), 2003

Chapter 8

• New User Groups: Overview of Surgeon, Anesthesiologist, and Emergency Physician Market Niches (U.S.), 2003
• New User Groups: Medicare Reimbursement for Breast Surgeons (U.S.), 2003
• New User Groups: Medicare Reimbursement for Anesthesiologists (U.S.), 2003
• New User Groups: Medicare Reimbursement for Emergency Physicians-Trauma Ultrasound (U.S.), 2003
• New User Groups: Medicare Reimbursement for Emergency Physicians-Ultrasound for Pregnancy (U.S.), 2003