Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) Technology Driving Market Growth in the North American X-Ray Mammography Market.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c50654) has announced the addition of the Frost & Sullivan report: North American X-Ray Mammography Markets to their offering.

The Frost & Sullivan research service entitled North American X-Ray Mammography Markets provides an overview of this market through estimates and forecasts of market revenues, unit shipments, and pricing analysis, along with an in-depth discussion of market drivers, market restraints, industry challenges, strategies, and trends that are impacting the North American x-ray mammography markets. In this study, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysis thoroughly examines the following markets: analog mammography, FFDM, add-on digital spot, and prone digital spot.

Technologies

The following technologies are covered in this service:

* Mammography: Mammography is the use of low-dose x-rays on the human breast to detect malignant growth. The technologies utilized for x-ray mammography can be segmented into the categories of screening mammography and diagnostic mammography. Screening mammography is used to detect any suspicious areas of breast tissue that may be indicative of a precancerous or cancerous mass. If screening mammography indicates any abnormality, the patient will be directed to have a diagnostic mammography. Diagnostic mammography usually involves further imaging of the suspicious area, and may culminate in a biopsy for histopathological analysis.

* Analog Mammography: Analog (film-screen) dedicated x-ray machine is the established technology. This technology relies on a phosphor/film combination to generate an image. The phosphor acts as a scintillator converting the x-rays into light that is then recorded on the film surface.

* Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM): The full-field digital x-ray technique is a rapidly growing offshoot of the analog predecessor. With digital technology, x-rays are converted to light at a scintillator, which results in an electronic readout when the light hits a charge-coupled device (CCD). The electrons, which are proportional the light produced by the scintillator, are then digitized to produce an image.

* Add-on Digital Spot Mammography: An add-on digital spot system serves as a digital converter for analog systems and is utilized in stereotactic localization and/or spot diagnostic viewing.

* Prone Digital Spot Mammography: Prone digital spot systems are stand-alone digital machines used for diagnostic and interventional applications only.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

* Analog Screening Mammography

* Full Field Digital Mammography

* Prone Diagnostic Mammography

* Add-on Spot Mammography

Topics Covered Include:
1. Executive Summary
2. Total North American X-Ray Mammography Market
3. Screening X-Ray Mammography
4. Diagnostic X-Ray Mammography
5. Statistical Appendix - Decision Support Database

Summary

Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) Technology Driving Market Growth

The North American x-ray mammography markets are being reinvigorated by the launch of several new FFDM technologies such as computed radiography (CR) mammography and flat-panel digital mammography. Flat-panel units in particular are driving the markets' growth, with their North American installed base increasing from 3.3 percent in November 2003 to 13.8 percent in October 2006. This correlates with the number FFDM units, which has significantly increased from 339 units in November 2003 to 1,311 units in October 2006. The number of newly installed FFDM units every month increased by 333 percent from December 2003 to February 2006 and during the eight month period from February 2006 to October 2006, monthly installed units increased by 368 percent. In line with these trends, unit shipments of FFDM are expected to exceed that of film-screen units by a ratio of more than five to one.

However, low reimbursement rates threaten to increase the closure of facilities, thereby restraining potential market revenues. The lack of high reimbursement rates prevents mammography facilities from breaking even, and this contributed to the continued increase of the closure of 9,306 certified facilities in October 2003 to 8,881 facilities in November 2005, with the trend continuing in 2006. "The significant increase in the number of malpractice claims is discouraging physicians specializing in breast imaging," notes the analyst of this research service. "The Physicians Insurers Association of America (PIAA) reports that the increase in claims concerning the misinterpretation of mammograms was higher than that of any other medical condition."

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) Expected to Further Spur the Growth of the X-Ray Mammography Markets

DBT or 3D mammography is an emerging technology that has the potential to significantly increase the revenues of the North American x-ray mammography market. The 2D mammography technique may miss a breast cancer superimposed over other tissue, or the superimposition of regular tissue may appear more radiopaque and be falsely diagnosed as cancerous. In DBT, the x-ray tube moves in an arc while 11 images are taken during a seven-second examination. The information is then transferred to a computer in which algorithms produce highly focused 3D radiographic images. Industry participants speculate that the DBT technology may receive FDA approval by 2008. A historical perspective of the market penetration of FFDM in the analog markets indicates that DBT technology has a high potential to penetrate the marketplace and increase revenues later in the forecast period.

From a product perspective, analog mammography is the most mature and rapidly declining subsegment of the x-ray mammography market. On the other hand, FFDM is the most nascent and rapidly growing subsegment and a major portion of industry efforts are expected to be allocated to develop and incrementally improve the digital segment of the market. Add-on digital spot is also a mature market subsegment that is declining, whereas prone digital spot is increasing in unit shipment and has the majority of the installed base for the diagnostic segment in North America. "Mammography vendors and end-users must involve themselves in substantive lobbying efforts to prevent progressively worsening financial situation of facilities," says the analyst. "Furthermore, they should aggressively focus on innovative technologies that could potentially improve the negative cycle of facility closure."

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