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 Digital Imaging Market Segments
The electromedical equipment market is divided into two segments: the diagnostic market and the therapeutic market.
The diagnostic imaging equipment market represents the portion of medical equipment that enables diagnosis by producing images of a chosen area or organ of the body. The market comprises five main sectors:
- X-ray
- Ultrasound
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Computed Tomography (CT)
- Nuclear Medicine
CMT is active in the X-ray market segment
Projection X-ray is the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging. For more than a century, diagnostic images have been created by passing small, highly-controlled amounts of radiation through the human body, capturing the resulting shadows and reflections on a photographic plate.
Over recent decades, alternative medical imaging methods have been developed. These methods use X-rays in a different way (CT), use other sources of radiation (Nuclear Medicine), or do not rely on ionizing radiation at all (ultrasound and MRI). Nevertheless, X-ray continues to be used as the first imaging modality by medical imaging professionals, and it holds more than 50% of the diagnosis market.
Projection X-ray imaging is divided into the following sub segments:
- General Radiography
- Radiography & Fluoroscopy (R&F)
- Angiography
- Cardiovascular
- Mammography
- Dental (intra-oral and panoramic)
CMT is currently active in the first three sub-segments (General Radiography, R&F and Angiography). CMT’s solution for General Radiography, called “Digital Radiography”, refers to single static images acquired one at a time. CMT’s products for R&F and Angiography refer to dynamic imaging, with images acquired at a speed ranging from one at a time up to 30 images per second.
Much like the consumer photography market, which is currently migrating from film to digital, the X-ray imaging market is transitioning from film and analog imaging methods to digital. CMT has always focused on digital imaging, and hence is now at the forefront of technology in this area of medical imaging.
The Transition to Digital X-ray Systems
Historically, X-ray technology utilized film-based systems, in which an image is processed on special radiographic film. In these systems, the physician examined a single image or a series of individual images in order to reach a diagnosis. Although the quality of film-based X-ray is excellent, it cannot show movements within the body. The process is more useful for diagnosis of a static condition than for diagnosis based on rapidly changing circumstances.
There are other inherent limitations of film-based X-ray systems – most importantly the time delay between exposure and diagnosis. Before the image can be examined, the film must be developed and delivered to the physician. Development time alone (i.e. excluding delivery time) typically takes ten minutes or more. In addition, films are inconvenient to store, cannot be easily duplicated and are relatively expensive.
Changing healthcare needs require diagnostic imaging systems that can rapidly produce the highest quality image, transmit it to multiple parties, display it, and then archive and retrieve it efficiently.
To accomplish this, healthcare organizations have turned to direct digital X-ray image capture. Digital processing systems combine real-time data acquisition with advanced digital enhancement, high- resolution display, and printing and archiving capabilities. These systems convert X-ray images into images that can be immediately viewed on monitors, allowing the physician to see the images as soon as they are captured.
A similar trend is also occurring in the dynamic imaging systems markets (Fluoroscopy, Angiography and Cardiology). Analog video cameras are being replaced by CCD cameras and the images are processed, stored and displayed as digital images. In recent years, electronic Flat Panel Detectors have been introduced to this regime as a replacement for the image intensifier-camera solution.
Furthermore, the fact that the image exists in a digital format enables the technician to deliver it remotely via a networking infrastructure. The most popular way to do so is via the Digital Imaging & Communication in Medicine (DICOM) protocol for transmitting medical information and images.
Product Offering
CMT currently offers a comprehensive set of digital solutions, from General Radiography to Fluoroscopy to Angiography. CMT products feature the latest technology in signal and image processing, advanced clinical applications and full compatibility with the DICOM standard.
Strategy
In order to face future challenges, CMT is pursuing four different parallel strategies:
- Efforts to strengthen and expand its special relationships with its OEM partners
- Extensive marketing in the Analog to Digital Retrofit market
- Intensive investment in developing and marketing next generation Digital Radiography products
- Leveraging its strong cash position to actively search for acquisitions
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