Canada has been experiencing healthy growth in the pace of new CT and MRI scanner installations, but the country still lags behind some global averages in terms of scanner-to-population ratios.
So concludes a new report on medical imaging in Canada by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). The report analyzed trend lines for medical imaging utilization in Canada and compared it to international averages.
In CT, the installed base of CT scanners has grown at a 5% annualized rate over the last five years, from 303 systems installed in 2001 to 378 scanners as of January 2006. The country's MRI installed base has grown at a 10% annualized rate, from 130 systems installed in 2001 to 196 as of January 2006.
There are now 721 nuclear medicine cameras in Canada, 112 cardiac catheterization suites, and 175 angiography suites. The country now has 12 PET/CT systems installed, compared with one in 2003, and 15 PET systems installed, compared with 13 in 2003. Some three SPECT/CT systems have been installed in Canada.
In terms of CT scanners per million population, Canada ranked 13th out of 18 in the number of scanners per million population in a list of countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). While OECD leader Japan topped the list at 92.6 CT scanners installed per million population, Canada had 11.3 scanners installed as of January 1, 2005. The U.S. ranked second on the list, with 32.2 scanners installed per million population; the OECD median was 13.8 scanners/million population.
In MRI, Canada ranked 11th out of 18, with 5.5 scanners per million population, with Japan again taking the lead at 35.3 scanners per million population and the U.S. taking second place with 26.6 scanners per million population. The OECD median was 6.6 scanners per million population.
The complete report is available by clicking here.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
December 19, 2006
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