India’s Color Ultrasound Market Forecast to Hit USD 180 million by 2016

There is increasing need for better healthcare services and treatment alternatives for the growing middle-class population in India. Increasing knowledge of the latest medical breakthroughs is driving demand for higher specification ultrasound units that can be used for specialist diagnosis and procedures. Consequently, strong growth is projected in the color ultrasound market over the next five years, with profits predicted to increase by 49% over this time.

These findings were published in a new report by InMedica (Englewood, CO, USA), part of HIS, Inc. (Wellingborough, UK). Because of the pressures for improved healthcare services, there is a rising trend in India to exchange black and white ultrasound systems with color systems that offer better image quality. The expanding flexibility and technology found in low-end and mid-range ultrasound systems is fueling strong growth in these markets, as many first-generation users upgrade to higher specification systems. As a consequence, color ultrasound equipment is forecast to account for 87% of unit shipments by 2016, compared to 73% in 2011.

“Color equipment is essential to improve ultrasound imaging techniques, such as for improved visualization of blood flow in arteries using color Doppler. This is forecast to drive strong growth in the color market over the next five years,” commented Carly Reed, market analyst at InMedica. “As healthcare services continue to expand, the clinical expertise of physicians will diversify. This will increase demand for equipment with advanced imaging features that are commonly used in mature markets, such as 3D/4D imaging, elastography, and fusion imaging.”

Color ultrasound market growth is being additionally propelled by color systems becoming more readily available at a much lower price. There is a growing number of Chinese manufacturers jumping into the Indian market with low-cost color ultrasound systems, compelling international suppliers to decrease the price of low-end and mid-range systems in order to compete. The refurbished market is also making color systems available at similar prices to black-and-white equipment. Consequently, the black-and-white ultrasound market is forecast a rapid decline over the next five years.

Low-cost black-and-white ultrasound systems will still be necessary to improve access to basic diagnostic imaging services in many rural regions of India. However, as color equipment is becoming more cost-effective for smaller-sized hospitals and demand in large and medium-sized hospitals is increasing for advanced ultrasound technology, color ultrasound systems will continue to dominate the Indian ultrasound market.

IHS is a source of information, insights, and analytics in critical areas that shape current business environment.

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