Sales of MRI scanners in the U.S. topped $1 billion for the first time in the modality's 16-year history, according to industry newsletter MRI Industry Report.
The newsletter reported today that U.S. MRI sales for 1999 were $1.07 billion, representing the installation of 928 new scanners at hospitals and imaging centers. The revenue figure represents growth of 12.2% over sales reported in 1998, the newsletter reported. The industry has settled into a more natural rate of growth after several years of explosive scanner sales, the newsletter said.
New 1.5-tesla scanners capable of advanced neurological, abdominal, and cardiac imaging techniques are driving the growth of the market, according to MRIIR editor Greg Freiherr. At the same time, demand for less expensive open systems, which drove the MRI market for four years in the late 1990s, are beginning to taper off. The U.S. installed base of MRI scanners now stands at 6000 systems, the newsletter said.
Internationally, the European market for MRI systems was strong in 1999, particularly in Germany. The Asian market began to show signs of recovery after a slump stemming from the Asian financial crisis, with Japan leading the way.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
March 31, 2000
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