Europe Poised for Exponential Growth in the Digitised Medical Imaging Storage Space, Reveals Frost & Sullivan

LONDON - Medical images are increasingly becoming digitised. However, the
exponential growth of digitised medical images poses an immense challenge in
terms of management, compression and retrieval. It is essential that image
archive storage solution providers, picture archiving and communication
system (PACS) vendors and image modality manufacturers become aware of the
growing requirements of storage space.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.medicalimaging.frost.com),
Strategic Outlook into Archive Requirements for Image Management in Medical
Imaging, finds that the total European storage requirement in 2007 was
106,044 terabytes (TB). In this research, Frost & Sullivan’s expert analysts
thoroughly examine medical image storage solutions markets in the United
Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux and Italy.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides
manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with a brief
synopsis of the study and a table of contents, then send an e-mail to Katja
Feick, Corporate Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com. Please include
your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail
address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above
information, a brochure will be sent to you by e-mail.

“There is an increasing demand for digitising medical images as opposed
to the traditional film-based images,” notes Frost & Sullivan Research
Analyst Shriram Shanmugham. “Unlike film-based images, digital images do not
decay over time and can easily be stored for longer periods of time.
Digitised images require less inventory space and the same image can be
accessed by multiple physicians simultaneously.”

Moreover, the turn-around time from the initial meeting with the
physician to availing complete diagnosis is reduced. As a result, patients
can expect quicker appointments with physicians and they can have permanent
access to the images from remote sites.

However, certain images are not DICOM compatible and require a
service-oriented approach in order to be archived. This is primarily because
evolving healthcare standards such as DICOM and HL7 are being updated at a
much slower pace than image archiving and image modality technology.

Other challenges include ensuring interoperability with hospital-based
information systems. Another issue is that diagnostic procedures such as echo
and angiogram generate a high resolution, large file-size images, and their
long retrieval times pose a concern for hospitals.

“Some PACS vendors provide their own unique solution to archiving images
that are not DICOM compatible, while others think it is wise to work around
the evolving healthcare standards so that, in the future, systems
interoperability is streamlined,” remarks Shanmugham. “This trend of
providing solutions to images that are not DICOM compatible will be prevalent
over the next five to seven years.”

The digitised medical imaging archives market requires complete
cooperation among the following three major industry participants: PACS
vendors, image modality manufacturers and storage solution providers. Some
PACS vendors have indicated that it would be convenient for them if image
modality manufacturers provided them with test data before an image modality
is released into the market. By having the test data before hand, PACS
vendors affirmed that they could easily establish connectivity
(interoperability) of their module with the image modality.

“Hospitals cannot afford to experience an image server downtime,”
concludes Shanmugham. “It is therefore essential that storage solution
providers devise innovative technology that obviates the possibility of such
server downtime.”

Strategic Outlook into Archive Requirements for Image Management in
Medical Imaging is part of the Medical Imaging Growth Partnership Service
programme, which also includes research in the following markets: European
PACS Market, Laboratory Information Systems in Europe and, Assessment of
Regulations for Medical Imaging in Europe All research included in
subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that
have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
Interviews with the press are available.

GIL 2009: Europe

Frost & Sullivan has expanded its flagship Global Congress on Corporate
Growth - GIL Global - into several major cities around the world including
London. For the first time ever in Europe, Frost & Sullivan will be hosting
the Growth, Innovation and Leadership Congress ‘GIL 2009: Europe’ on 19-20
May, at the Sofitel St James in London. GIL Global is the industry’s only
event designed to support senior executives in their efforts to achieve
sustainable, top-line growth. To register, obtain a programme agenda, explore
sponsorship opportunities, or attend as a member of the media for GIL 2009:
Europe, please contact Katja Feick, Corporate Communications Europe, at
katja.feick@frost.com. One-on-One interviews with Frost & Sullivan senior
growth consultants are also being scheduled. For more information you can
also visit www.frost.com/gilglobal

About Frost & Sullivan

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Strategic Outlook into Archive Requirements for Image
Management in Medical Imaging
M30F

Contact:
Katja Feick
Corporate Communications - Europe
P: +49-(0)-69-7703343
E: katja.feick@frost.com
www.frost.com/

Source: Frost & Sullivan

Katja Feick, Corporate Communications - Europe of Frost & Sullivan, +49-(0)-69-7703343, katja.feick at frost.com