Global Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Market Size

Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Market Analysis

The Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unimaginable impact on the world and has altered almost every aspect of the healthcare industry. The pandemic has also had a complex and unprecedented effect on the ultrasound market. Lung ultrasound became an essential tool for rapid bedside assessment in critically unwell patients, proving helpful in the assessment of COVID-19 due to the logistics of cross-sectional imaging. For instance, according to an article published by the Journal of Ultrasound in June 2022, CEUS had the benefit of being cheap, radiation-free, without risk of nephrotoxicity, and could be performed at the bedside. Thus, the prognosis and treatment were positively influenced by lung CEUS during COVID-19, thereby increasing its demand and driving the market growth.

Furthermore, in a study published by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Society of Gastroenterology, in April 2022, elective cancer surgeries continued in various hospitals and clinics without any delays or with minimal impact of the pandemic. This implies an increasing use of CEUS for better diagnosis of liver cancers or tumors during the pandemic as well. However, as the COVID-19 cases started to decline, the market started to show normal pre-pandemic level growth and is likely to continue its significant growth rate during the forecast period.

Factors such as the rising prevalence of long-term diseases and comorbidities among the population, technological advancements, and rising expenditure on product development by the government and major companies are expected to fuel the growth of the market over the forecast period. For instance, according to the data updated by the American Cancer Society in March 2022, approximately 800,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer each year, globally and nearly 41,260 new cases of liver cancer were estimated to be diagnosed in the United States in 2022. In this context, several research suggests that CEUS is exceptionally well-suited for liver imaging because of the liver's unique dual blood supply system. Additionally, CEUS improves the ability to characterize focal liver lesions (FLLs), detect liver cancer, provide advice for interventional treatments, and assess the effectiveness of local therapy. Thus, due to the benefits of CEUS in liver cancer diagnosis, the demand for CEUS is expected to increase thereby driving the market growth.

Furthermore, an increase in research and development (R&D) activities, collaborations, product approvals, and launches are garnering market growth. For instance, in October 2021, ultrasound experts urged the healthcare community to work to expand the utilization of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) to offer patients broader access to low-cost, safe, and reliable diagnostic imaging. This is further expected to create opportunities for the CEUS, driving market growth.

However, the high costs and shortage of helium are likely to hinder the market's growth.