Latest IMV Study Shows Ultrasound Departments Actively Expanding Their Capabilities

IMV Medical Information Division just released its 2005 study of hospital-based ultrasound departments in the United States. Survey results from 2,975 hospital-based general ultrasound or radiology departments were projected to the identified universe of 4,720 hospitals that have ultrasound equipment. This study is the second such IMV study of ultrasound sites, the first one having been conducted in 1998. The prior 1998 study did not include less than 200-bed hospitals, whereas this current 2005 study does.

“In 2005, an estimated 31.2 million patient exams were conducted in 4,720 general ultrasound or radiology departments in U.S. hospitals,” observed Lorna Young, Senior Director, Market Research. “Diagnostic ultrasound utilization has grown steadily. For hospitals with 200+ beds, patient exams grew 41% from 13.1 million in 1998 to 18.5 million in 2005, for an annual average growth rate of about 5% per year.”

The report describes trends in ultrasound patient exams by procedure type, ultrasound installed base by manufacturer and year of installation, planned purchases, workstations, networking and related information systems, and site operations characteristics. The report also covers adoption trends of key technologies including intracavity probes, harmonic imaging, instant optimization and real time 3D or 4D, as well as voice control, compound imaging, flat panel monitors, and extended field of view imaging. Highlights include:

— The average number of ultrasound units installed per hospital radiology department is 2.5 units.

— Over half of the ultrasound installed base in hospital-based departments was installed in 2002 or later.

— Purchase and upgrade activity in these sites is active, with average budgets for equipment increasing. Over 40% of the ultrasound sites are improving their current capability, either by adding new units, replacing old, or updating their current systems.

— Key technologies driving future purchases include real time 3D or 4D imaging and instant optimization.

— Ultrasound sites are expanding their use of networks to transmit images to multiple locations, including within the department, between departments and to other sites. From 1998 to now, the proportion of ultrasound sites with networks in 200+ bed hospitals grew from 26% to 88%.

IMV’s 2005 Diagnostic Ultrasound Market Summary Report compares nationwide trends from this recent survey with the prior 1998 study. For more information about the Market Summary Report, visit the corporate website at www.imvlimited.com/mid or call 847-297-1404 to speak with a representative.

IMV Medical Information Division, Inc. is a market research consulting firm founded in 1977 specializing in medical imaging and other advanced healthcare technology markets. IMV’s proprietary market research services, in combination with census databases of U.S. imaging sites with selected modalities, provide clients with valuable assistance in strategic planning, customer satisfaction, market development and sales initiatives. Current census databases include interventional angiography, radiographic fluoroscopy, cardiac catheterization, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, echocardiography, PET, radiation oncology, X-ray/DR/CR and RIS/PACS.