Portable Scanners Improve Access for Remote and Immobile Patients and Enable Faster Disease Diagnosis
There is a growing demand for mobile imaging equipment in low and middle-income countries due to the limited financial resources to procure, operate, and maintain expensive medical imaging equipment. Other challenges include irregular power supply, poor network connectivity, inadequate site infrastructure, and delays because of the geographical distance from original equipment manufacturers.
In addition, telemedicine and remote monitoring have experienced rapid adoption in Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets (e.g., China, Korea, Japan, India, and Australia), especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have been an effective medium for delivering healthcare services globally, especially in rural areas.
Some challenges with mobile imaging include low diagnostic quality compared to conventional medical imaging systems. However, healthcare professionals can use mobile imaging solutions in clinical applications where high-resolution images are not required and as a supplement to traditional medical imaging equipment to free up the latter for when high-resolution images are required. Cybersecurity is another challenge, as mobile imaging systems often handle personal health information. Regulations on patient data privacy and data sharing may slow the adoption of point-of-care (POC) imaging equipment.
In this study, the report focuses on mobile imaging equipment for POC settings, enabling bedside imaging and remote diagnosis (excluding conventional, trailer-mounted mobile imaging equipment that users must transport to different locations). The geographic scope comprises North America, Europe, APAC, and the rest of the world (RoW).
This global study analyzes four main types of mobile imaging systems:
- Mobile ultrasound scanners
- Mobile CT scanners
- Mobile X-ray scanners
- Mobile MRI scanners
This study will provide the trends, challenges, drivers, restraints, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities for mobile medical imaging systems in different clinical settings, including at-home medical imaging and remote diagnosis.
