Latest IMV Study Shows Rebound in Radiation Therapy Market
Des Plaines, IL (PRWEB) July 16, 2013 -- The U.S. radiation therapy market appears to be rebounding after a major decline in 2009, with radiation oncology centers budgeting more money for capital equipment purchases this year compared to four years ago, according to a new study published by IMV Medical Information Division.
The average capital equipment budget per site for 2013 is 30% higher than the average 2009 budget, according to IMV's 2012/13 Radiation Therapy Market Summary Report. The report also found that patient volume has been relatively stable over the years.
“The estimated number of courses of treatment -- a measure that corresponds to patient volume -- was at a level of 965,620 in 2012,” observed Lorna Young, Senior Director, Market Research at IMV. “This level of patient volume has been relatively stable over the past decade, increasing at an average annual rate of less than 1%.”
While the numbers of patients have been relatively consistent, improvements in radiation therapy technologies are continuing to drive capital purchases. IMV reports that managers of radiation oncology centers are budgeting for new equipment purchases that incorporate treatment technologies such as image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and rotational arc therapy, which help to deliver safe and effective radiation treatments to patients.
The research indicates that over one-third (38%) of the radiation therapy sites in the survey are planning to purchase external-beam radiation therapy units as replacement or additional units over the next three years, including linear accelerators, CyberKnife, Gamma Knife, TomoTherapy, and proton therapy units.
Nearly half (45%) of the radiation therapy sites are planning to acquire or upgrade their oncology information systems over the next three years, with 80% of the planned implementations and upgrades of oncology information systems incorporating EMR data.
“Additional drivers for purchasing activity by radiation therapy facilities are to increase the IT capabilities of information systems and to incorporate imaging into all phases of the radiation therapy workflow, with the goal of improving the accuracy of radiation therapy treatments,” Young said. “As a result, we are seeing that the proportion of radiation therapy sites budgeting capital budgets of $2.0 million or more is expected to grow from 13% in 2012 to 24% in 2014.”
The report describes trends in the adoption of therapeutic techniques, equipment, and radioactive agents. Equipment types covered include external-beam therapy units, simulators (including CT, PET/CT, MR, and x-ray simulators), treatment planning systems, IGRT, record and verify/oncology information systems, and brachytherapy equipment. Other technologies covered include IMRT, inverse planning, rotational arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and prostate seed therapy. Radiation therapy equipment and software vendors covered in this study include Accuray, Brainlab, Elekta, GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, Toshiba America Medical Systems, and Varian Medical Systems.
The data source for this report is IMV’s 2012/13 Radiation Therapy Census Database, which provides comprehensive profiles of radiation therapy sites in the United States. For more information about IMV’s Radiation Therapy Census Database and corresponding reports, visit the corporate website at http://www.imvinfo.com or call 847-297-1404 x116 to speak with a representative.
IMV Medical Information Division is a marketing research and consulting firm founded in 1977, specializing in medical imaging and other advanced healthcare technology markets. IMV's marketing research services, in combination with its databases of U.S. imaging sites with selected modalities, provide clients valuable assistance in strategic planning, customer satisfaction, product development and sales initiatives.
Gail Prochaska, IMV Ltd., http://www.imvinfo.com/, +1 847-297-1404, [email protected]
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