Regional trends: North America – Overall revenues for breast imaging solutions increased 19.8% in 2023, primarily due to the recovery of supply chains and delayed orders from 2022 being fulfilled. DBT is already used for screening in the USA and in Canada. In Canada, the Society of Breast Imaging recommends DBT in favour of new FFDM systems, which is expected to be implemented for screening applications in the near future.
Meanwhile, breast density notifications will become mandatory in the U.S. in 2024 and is now required by almost all Canadian provinces. Access to supplementary screening is also increasing in North America as more states and provinces enforce insurance for supplementary screening, spurring growth for secondary imaging modalities.
Latin America – Due to price sensitivity, Latin America has a large install base for analogue and computed radiography mammography systems. These systems are forecast to decline in favour of digital solutions, making Latin America one of the fastest growing markets for mammography. For ultrasound, there is a lack of trained sonographers making it an underutilised breast imaging modality, despite its low price point.
Western Europe – Despite the region unanimously using 2D mammography in breast cancer screening programs, FFDM systems are declining in favour of DBT gantries. This is due to healthcare providers preparing themselves for an expected transition of breast cancer screening toward DBT. However, this transition is not predicted to occur until after TMIST and TOSMYA trial publications expected in 2025.
Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa – High growth is projected in the EEMEA subregion due to increasing investment in women’s health in North Africa and the increasing screening capacity in the Middle East. In Eastern Europe there is also increasing investment in breast imaging solutions financed by EU COVID recovery funds post-COVID. Poland, Greece and Romania were some of the largest recipients, the latter of which will utilise funding for their novel national screening program with a large order of gantries expected to land 2024.
Asia Pacific – APAC lacks formal screening programs, and price sensitivity limits the uptake of digital mammography systems here. Ultrasound is heavily relied upon due to its low price point, as well as the increased prevalence of breast density. APAC is forecast the fastest growth in the coming years, due to a largely unaddressed need for mammography screening and the increasing importance placed on women’s health. Much of this growth can be attributed to China’s rapid expansion in breast screening, driven in part by the Government’s ambitious goal to screen 90% of eligible women by 2030.
