Overview
Imaging is a vital component of critical care diagnosis and affects patients in all areas of the hospital. Most imaging takes place in the radiology department. However, imaging equipment can also be located in the emergency room, and mobile x-ray and ultrasound systems find multiple purposes throughout hospitals. Additional placement opportunities for imaging companies are being created as imaging procedures become more common at the approximately 2,500 outpatient imaging centers in the U.S., as well as in physician offices and urgent care centers.
Imaging is becoming more prevalent during therapeutic procedures as well, such as those performed in the operating room and in the radiology, cardiology and oncology suites. For example, in cancer therapy, combining precise imaging techniques, radiation sources and high performance computing enables radiation treatments to be shaped to a tumor's three-dimensional contours, thus minimizing damage to surrounding, healthy tissue.
Imaging is becoming progressively more digital and three-dimensional, thereby providing enhanced images and enabling the sharing of those images across medical specialties via networks. The advent of picture archiving communications systems (PACS) and the use of lower cost computers for viewing images is gradually reshaping radiology and its interaction with other departments for improved diagnosis, treatment planning, and intervention guidance.
The merger of digital capability and new and continually improving imaging modalities has created a wealth of new products and applications. For example, modality combinations such as the combination of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) allow clinicians to view cellular function such as glucose metabolism while at the same time viewing anatomical structures such as bones, organs and tumors. The trend toward increasing resolution and number of slices per image presents growth opportunities for image-related computer software products as well.
Market Opportunity
Kairos estimates the worldwide market for Imaging Systems to exceed $13 billion annually, with average growth rates of 5 - 11%, depending on the specific technology. CT scanner growth, however, has been estimated to be growing at the rate of 15 - 20% per year.
Kairos Focus
Kairos will seek investment opportunities in growth areas created by the rapidly changing technology and medical usage patterns. While imaging equipment is dominated by very large companies, Kairos has identified numerous investment candidates within the CT, MRI, contrast media, and other niches of the imaging systems and accessories market. |
