Staff report
The global mammography systems market is projected to surpass $3.5 billion by 2025, according to a research report by Global Market Insights Inc. Rising awareness about the early detection of breast cancer coupled with the availability of free breast screening programs will accelerate market growth.
Increasing incidence of invasive breast cancer across the globe will stimulate mammography systems industry demand in the upcoming years. Breastcancer.org estimated that about one in eight women will develop an invasive form of breast cancer during their lifetime. Risk factors associated with breast cancer, such as hormone replacement therapy, genetic factors, child-bearing and growing adoption of unhealthy lifestyle habits, will further contribute toward a greater adoption of breast imaging modalities, thereby impacting global market demand over the projected years.
Grand View Research reports that the rising health care expenditure, booming health care industry and growing demand for regular monitoring are some of the pivotal factors expected to propel demand for mammography equipment in the coming years. Growing government initiatives to improve clinical interpretation and increase access to mammary gland cancer screening systems is one of the crucial factors expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.
In addition to these initiatives, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has introduced Federal Consolidated Health Centers Programs to increase the screening procedures in medically underserved areas, Grand View Research reports.
Mammography systems are an advanced medical equipment used for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. It is a low dose X-ray technique designed to image breast tissue. Mammography is mainly used for patients with symptoms of breast cancer who have no signs of breast cancer. The aim of mammography is early detection of breast cancer, through screening of microcalcifications and characteristic mass/lumps. It is a non-invasive technique that involves exposure of breasts to low dose of ionizing radiations to produce the inside image of the body. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality among women in developing countries. It is the most frequent cancer detected among women across about 140 countries.
The history of the mammography systems industry dates back to 1913, when A. Salomon, a surgeon from Berlin conducted a study on 3,000 mastectomies for the study of mammography. Up until 1960, only a few developments were seen in this technique, until R. Leborgne, Ch. Gros and several other European and American radiologists contributed.
Between 1980-1990, substantial improvements in screen film technology was witnessed and dedicated mammography units were established. As breast cancer was categorized as public health threat, the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 was imposed to maintain the screening quality. Currently, leading players such as Fujifilm, Hologic, Siemens Healthineers and GE Healthcare are developing mammography systems to enhance cancer detection rates with reduced exposure to radiation. With the launch of first digital breast tomosynthesis system in the U.S. market by Hologic in the year 2011, a new breakthrough was established in the mammography systems industry, that was followed by launches from other market players including GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers and Fujifilm.
