The nuclear medicine market size is expected to grow from USD 17.42 billion in 2025 to USD 19.60 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 35.32 billion by 2031 at 12.5% CAGR over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by Product Type (Diagnostics, Therapeutics), Radioisotope (Technetium-99m, Fluorine-18, Iodine-131, Lutetium-177, Others), Application (Oncology, Cardiology, and More), End User (Hospitals, Diagnostic Imaging Centers, Research Institutes and More), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, South America). Market Forecasts are in Value (USD).
Therapeutic growth will lift pharmacy revenues and drive capital expenditure on hot cells, shielded infusion suites, and dosimetry software. Suppliers that bundle diagnostic tracers with matched therapies will capture higher wallet share. As theranostics mature, integrated pathways will lower total care costs, reinforcing payer support and sustaining nuclear medicine market expansion.
Technetium-99m retained a 43.28% share in 2025, driven by high-volume cardiology and bone scans. Yet lutetium-177 doses are rising at a 14.31% CAGR as PSMA therapy enters mainstream oncology practice, expanding the nuclear medicine market share of therapeutic isotopes. Fluorine-18 remains the backbone of PET imaging, but novel tracers targeting PSMA and fibroblast activation protein expand its utility beyond oncology into inflammation and cardiac fibrosis. Iodine-131 remains standard for thyroid disorders, though usage plateaus amid surgery advances and oral kinase inhibitors.
Emerging isotopes such as gallium-68 and copper-64 are gaining momentum at academic centers running early-access programs, paving the way for broader adoption once supply chains mature. Suppliers investing in flexible production line configurations will be best positioned to meet demand variance across isotope classes.
Europe boasts high PET penetration, with Germany operating 180 cyclotrons that enable same-day fluorine-18 deliveries to 95% of residents. National health systems reimburse amyloid PET and gallium-68 PSMA, reinforcing procedural volumes. Italy and Spain invest in theranostic centers that consolidate diagnostics and therapy under one roof, lowering care costs. Poland and Hungary modernize legacy gamma cameras, lifting demand for updated isotopes and software.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region at 14.56% CAGR, led by China’s installation of 300 PET-CT scanners in 2025 and India’s expansion of cyclotron sites to 27 by 2027. Japan’s aging population drives Alzheimer’s and cardiac viability imaging, with national insurance coverage since 2024. South Korea subsidizes PET-CT equipment for rural hospitals, cutting wait times to 5 days. Australia’s regulatory approvals for copper-64 and zirconium-89 tracers position it as a regional clinical-trial hub, while ASEAN nations form shared radiopharmacy networks to overcome scale challenges.
Global Nuclear Medicine Market Trends and Insights
Rising Burden of Targeted Diseases Drives Precision Diagnostics
Cancer incidence reached 2 million new U.S. cases in 2025, while cardiovascular disease remained the principal cause of global mortality, pushing cardiology departments to replace stress-only perfusion studies with hybrid PET-CT viability scans that guide revascularization. The World Health Organization reports that neurological disorders affect 1 in 3 people worldwide, spurring health systems to install cyclotrons and train nuclear-medicine physicians to manage the rising caseload. FDA and EMA companion-diagnostic mandates for targeted oncology drugs embed imaging into treatment algorithms and secure recurring procedure volumes. The combined disease burden, therefore, anchors long-term growth of the nuclear medicine market. Investments in public screening programs and research grants further reinforce demand visibility. As a result, cyclotron vendors and radiopharmacy operators are expanding capacity in major metropolitan areas and secondary cities alike.Targeted Radiotherapy Adoption Reshapes Treatment Paradigms
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy using lutetium-177 DOTATATE achieved a 79% disease-control rate in neuroendocrine tumor trials, eclipsing chemotherapy benchmarks and prompting guideline inclusion in the United States and Europe. Medicare’s 2025 coverage expansion for lutetium-177 PSMA-617 extended overall survival by 4 months in metastatic prostate cancer, triggering hospital investment in purpose-built therapy suites. Alpha-emitters such as radium-223 deliver high-linear-energy transfer over short ranges, reducing bone-marrow toxicity and appealing to oncologists treating frail patients. Theranostic pairs linking gallium-68 imaging to lutetium-177 therapy enable real-time dosimetry and limit unnecessary cycles, translating into lower overall care costs. Reimbursement parity between external-beam radiation and radiopharmaceutical therapy in Germany and France removes a historical barrier and accelerates European adoption.Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
- Imaging Modality Advances Enhance Diagnostic Precision
- Expansion of Non-Reactor Mo-99 Production Mitigates Supply Risk
- Complex Multi-Agency Regulatory Approval Delays Market Entry
- Short Half-Life Isotopes Impose Logistical Constraints
Segment Analysis
Diagnostics controlled 76.12% of revenue in 2025, supported by widespread SPECT myocardial perfusion and PET oncology protocols, yet therapeutics are projected to grow at 15.45% CAGR through 2031 as hospitals embrace lutetium-177 and actinium-225 regimens. This pivot will lift therapeutics’ contribution to the nuclear medicine market size, while diagnostics maintain a foundational role in patient selection and follow-up. SPECT preserves share in cardiology and bone imaging because of lower scanner costs, but PET continues to win oncology and neurology volumes due to superior resolution and quantification accuracy. Alpha-emitter doses command premium prices (USD 30,000 versus USD 8,000 for beta-emitters), reflecting their ability to eradicate radio-resistant tumors with fewer cycles. Beta-emitters such as yttrium-90 and lutetium-177 dominate liver and neuroendocrine tumor therapy, underpinned by robust safety data. Brachytherapy isotopes, including iodine-125, show flat growth as robotic surgery and external-beam modalities advance.Therapeutic growth will lift pharmacy revenues and drive capital expenditure on hot cells, shielded infusion suites, and dosimetry software. Suppliers that bundle diagnostic tracers with matched therapies will capture higher wallet share. As theranostics mature, integrated pathways will lower total care costs, reinforcing payer support and sustaining nuclear medicine market expansion.
Technetium-99m retained a 43.28% share in 2025, driven by high-volume cardiology and bone scans. Yet lutetium-177 doses are rising at a 14.31% CAGR as PSMA therapy enters mainstream oncology practice, expanding the nuclear medicine market share of therapeutic isotopes. Fluorine-18 remains the backbone of PET imaging, but novel tracers targeting PSMA and fibroblast activation protein expand its utility beyond oncology into inflammation and cardiac fibrosis. Iodine-131 remains standard for thyroid disorders, though usage plateaus amid surgery advances and oral kinase inhibitors.
Emerging isotopes such as gallium-68 and copper-64 are gaining momentum at academic centers running early-access programs, paving the way for broader adoption once supply chains mature. Suppliers investing in flexible production line configurations will be best positioned to meet demand variance across isotope classes.
Complete Report Scope:
- By Product Type
- Diagnostics
- SPECT
- PET
- Therapeutics
- Alpha Emitters
- Beta Emitters
- Brachytherapy Isotopes
- Diagnostics
- By Radioisotope
- Technetium-99m
- Fluorine-18
- Iodine-131
- Lutetium-177
- Others
- By Application
- Oncology
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Orthopedics & Pain Management
- Other Applications
- By End User
- Hospitals
- Diagnostic Imaging Centers
- Specialized Radiopharmacies
- Research Institutes
- Ambulatory Surgical Centers
- By Geography
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Europe
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Rest of Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- Australia
- South Korea
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- Middle East and Africa
- GCC
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East and Africa
- South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
- North America
Geography Analysis
North America led with 39.43% revenue share in 2025, supported by over 2,500 PET-CT scanners and Medicare coverage for 18 PET tracers. The United States hosts 120 hospitals offering lutetium-177 PSMA therapy and 40 actinium-225 clinical-trial sites, accelerating regulatory approvals and fostering research synergies. Canada’s transition to non-reactor Mo-99 production mitigates prior supply disruptions, while Mexico’s public-private scanner installations extend access to its 130 million population.Europe boasts high PET penetration, with Germany operating 180 cyclotrons that enable same-day fluorine-18 deliveries to 95% of residents. National health systems reimburse amyloid PET and gallium-68 PSMA, reinforcing procedural volumes. Italy and Spain invest in theranostic centers that consolidate diagnostics and therapy under one roof, lowering care costs. Poland and Hungary modernize legacy gamma cameras, lifting demand for updated isotopes and software.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region at 14.56% CAGR, led by China’s installation of 300 PET-CT scanners in 2025 and India’s expansion of cyclotron sites to 27 by 2027. Japan’s aging population drives Alzheimer’s and cardiac viability imaging, with national insurance coverage since 2024. South Korea subsidizes PET-CT equipment for rural hospitals, cutting wait times to 5 days. Australia’s regulatory approvals for copper-64 and zirconium-89 tracers position it as a regional clinical-trial hub, while ASEAN nations form shared radiopharmacy networks to overcome scale challenges.
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
- Actinium Pharmaceuticals
- Bayer
- Blue Earth Diagnostics
- Bracco Imaging S.p.A.
- BWXT Medical Ltd.
- Cardinal Health
- Cerveau Technologies
- Curium Pharma
- Eckert & Ziegler Radiopharma
- GE Healthcare
- IBA Molecular
- Isotopia Molecular Imaging
- Jubilant Radiopharma
- Lantheus
- NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes
- Novartis
- Siemens Healthineers
- SOFIE Biosciences
- Spectrum Dynamics Medical
- Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Additional Benefits:
- The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
- 3 months of analyst support
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
4 Market Landscape
5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value - USD)
6 Competitive Landscape
7 Market Opportunities & Future Outlook
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Actinium Pharmaceuticals
- Bayer AG
- Blue Earth Diagnostics
- Bracco Imaging S.p.A.
- BWXT Medical Ltd.
- Cardinal Health Inc.
- Cerveau Technologies
- Curium Pharma
- Eckert & Ziegler Radiopharma
- GE HealthCare
- IBA Molecular
- Isotopia Molecular Imaging
- Jubilant Radiopharma
- Lantheus Holdings Inc.
- NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes
- Novartis AG
- Siemens Healthineers
- SOFIE Biosciences
- Spectrum Dynamics Medical
- Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
