Women's health market trends
July 11, 2018
By Julie Johnson
According to the website breastcancer.org, approximately one in eight U.S. women (about 12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. In 2018, an estimated 266,120 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. alone. An important step in the early detection of breast cancer is a digital mammography exam. With this ongoing need in the arena of women’s health, the mammography market has remained very active over the past several years, and interest in 3D mammography has continued to grow since its introduction by Hologic in 2011.
Multiple studies continue to show that 3D mammograms locate more cancers and also diminish the number of false positives. 3D mammography, or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), generates a series of 3D images using X-rays. Multiple low-dose images are taken from different angles around the breast and are used to produce a 3D image. While many facilities still use 2D systems as their primary screening tool, there has been a lack of interest over the past 24 months in dedicated 2D systems; this market segment makes up less than 10% of MD Buyline’s mammography quoting activity. The majority of 2D system quotes are seen from smaller facilities and those with budget constraints that are looking to the lower price point of a 2D system while retaining the ability to upgrade to 3D in the future.
The mammography market includes only a handful of vendors, in a very competitive environment. MD Buyline fully analyzes the following vendors for comprehensive market, technology, and pricing information: Hologic, Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, and Fuji Medical Systems USA. The most recent addition to the lineup of DBT systems is the Siemens Healthineers MAMMOMAT Revelation system with 50-degree HD Breast Tomosynthesis for screening, diagnostic imaging, and 3D HD breast biopsy.
Customers in the market for any mammography or women’s health equipment purchase will typically remain loyal to their current in-house vendor, unless the market can provide a new technology or lower price point to convince them to make a significant change. This generally requires input from a capital equipment team that often includes technologists, department directors, radiologists, and administrators. Upgradeability is also a big factor for those centers that do not currently have the budget for a highly configured DBT system. They must weigh the cost of upgrading an older unit against purchasing a more expensive configuration upfront. Some facilities are looking to refurbished units to reduce costs, but MD Buyline does not currently see as many quotes for used equipment in mammography as in other imaging modalities.
The market trend continues to see mammography systems that are highly configured with CAD, 2D synthesized imaging software, advanced workstations, and integrated breast biopsy, along with value-oriented systems with more basic configurations. Many MD Buyline customers choose to bundle associated technologies such as biopsy systems, bone densitometers, and digital specimen radiography systems to facilitate additional cost savings. Hologic is currently the only mammography vendor that MD Buyline tracks for both biopsy and digital specimen radiography systems. Hologic also offers a prone 3D biopsy table that has become a popular alternative to its 2D upright add-on. Siemens’ new MAMMOMAT Revelation has an incorporated specimen scanner, InSpect, that eliminates the need for a separate scanner. Depending on your facility’s needs, mammography vendors offer several different configuration options and accessories to meet your challenging workflow requirements.
While quoting activity is lower than with other technologies, bone densitometry remains a stable segment of the women’s health market. Bone density testing is still highly recommended for many women at risk for fracture, which can be increased by factors such as by age, osteoporosis, weight, and other lifestyle risks, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Hologic and GE Healthcare are the two active vendors in the bone densitometer market, and competition between the two has remained neck and neck over the past several years. While the greater interest remains with fan-beam technology, a small portion of the market still looks to purchase peripheral scanners. In addition to Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX), bone density systems can also perform health screenings such as metabolic DEXA scan for body composition. Customers typically choose a bone density system based on their familiarity with either GE Healthcare or Hologic, and their ability to bundle their purchase with other equipment for steeper discounting.
Pricing for women’s health systems can vary based on several factors, including configuration, promotional offers, multi-system purchases, and bundling scenarios.
2D Mammography
Low: $191,000
High: $320,000
3D Mammography
Low: $348,000
High:$482,000
Breast Biopsy 3D Prone
Low: $220,000
High: $308,000
Breast Biopsy 2D Add-on
Low: $73,000
High: $86,000
Full Body Axial Bone Densitometer
Low: $54,000
High: 93,000
Peripheral Bone Densitometer
Low: $10,000
High: $25,000
Digital Specimen Radiography – Surgical
Low: $84,000
High: $137,000
(These numbers have been adjusted to exclude special deals, outliers, and unique circumstances.)
MD Buyline recommends a full-service agreement for mammography systems, including glassware and detector coverage, which can average from $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Bone density, biopsy, and specimen radiography systems can often be serviced in-house or with a less costly biomed first call agreement. This is a cost-saving alternative for those facilities with a strong biomed department.
About the author: Julie Johnson joined MD Buyline in 2008. She serves as an analyst, providing support to the clinical analysts and helping MD Buyline members make informed purchasing decisions. Ms. Johnson supports the teams for neurology, radiology, OR, linear accelerators, stereotactic radiosurgery, mammography systems, biopsy systems, radiographic systems, portable radiographic systems, fluoroscopy, and computed radiography capital equipment.
According to the website breastcancer.org, approximately one in eight U.S. women (about 12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. In 2018, an estimated 266,120 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. alone. An important step in the early detection of breast cancer is a digital mammography exam. With this ongoing need in the arena of women’s health, the mammography market has remained very active over the past several years, and interest in 3D mammography has continued to grow since its introduction by Hologic in 2011.
Multiple studies continue to show that 3D mammograms locate more cancers and also diminish the number of false positives. 3D mammography, or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), generates a series of 3D images using X-rays. Multiple low-dose images are taken from different angles around the breast and are used to produce a 3D image. While many facilities still use 2D systems as their primary screening tool, there has been a lack of interest over the past 24 months in dedicated 2D systems; this market segment makes up less than 10% of MD Buyline’s mammography quoting activity. The majority of 2D system quotes are seen from smaller facilities and those with budget constraints that are looking to the lower price point of a 2D system while retaining the ability to upgrade to 3D in the future.
The mammography market includes only a handful of vendors, in a very competitive environment. MD Buyline fully analyzes the following vendors for comprehensive market, technology, and pricing information: Hologic, Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, and Fuji Medical Systems USA. The most recent addition to the lineup of DBT systems is the Siemens Healthineers MAMMOMAT Revelation system with 50-degree HD Breast Tomosynthesis for screening, diagnostic imaging, and 3D HD breast biopsy.
Customers in the market for any mammography or women’s health equipment purchase will typically remain loyal to their current in-house vendor, unless the market can provide a new technology or lower price point to convince them to make a significant change. This generally requires input from a capital equipment team that often includes technologists, department directors, radiologists, and administrators. Upgradeability is also a big factor for those centers that do not currently have the budget for a highly configured DBT system. They must weigh the cost of upgrading an older unit against purchasing a more expensive configuration upfront. Some facilities are looking to refurbished units to reduce costs, but MD Buyline does not currently see as many quotes for used equipment in mammography as in other imaging modalities.
The market trend continues to see mammography systems that are highly configured with CAD, 2D synthesized imaging software, advanced workstations, and integrated breast biopsy, along with value-oriented systems with more basic configurations. Many MD Buyline customers choose to bundle associated technologies such as biopsy systems, bone densitometers, and digital specimen radiography systems to facilitate additional cost savings. Hologic is currently the only mammography vendor that MD Buyline tracks for both biopsy and digital specimen radiography systems. Hologic also offers a prone 3D biopsy table that has become a popular alternative to its 2D upright add-on. Siemens’ new MAMMOMAT Revelation has an incorporated specimen scanner, InSpect, that eliminates the need for a separate scanner. Depending on your facility’s needs, mammography vendors offer several different configuration options and accessories to meet your challenging workflow requirements.
While quoting activity is lower than with other technologies, bone densitometry remains a stable segment of the women’s health market. Bone density testing is still highly recommended for many women at risk for fracture, which can be increased by factors such as by age, osteoporosis, weight, and other lifestyle risks, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Hologic and GE Healthcare are the two active vendors in the bone densitometer market, and competition between the two has remained neck and neck over the past several years. While the greater interest remains with fan-beam technology, a small portion of the market still looks to purchase peripheral scanners. In addition to Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX), bone density systems can also perform health screenings such as metabolic DEXA scan for body composition. Customers typically choose a bone density system based on their familiarity with either GE Healthcare or Hologic, and their ability to bundle their purchase with other equipment for steeper discounting.
Pricing for women’s health systems can vary based on several factors, including configuration, promotional offers, multi-system purchases, and bundling scenarios.
2D Mammography
Low: $191,000
High: $320,000
3D Mammography
Low: $348,000
High:$482,000
Breast Biopsy 3D Prone
Low: $220,000
High: $308,000
Breast Biopsy 2D Add-on
Low: $73,000
High: $86,000
Full Body Axial Bone Densitometer
Low: $54,000
High: 93,000
Peripheral Bone Densitometer
Low: $10,000
High: $25,000
Digital Specimen Radiography – Surgical
Low: $84,000
High: $137,000
(These numbers have been adjusted to exclude special deals, outliers, and unique circumstances.)
MD Buyline recommends a full-service agreement for mammography systems, including glassware and detector coverage, which can average from $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Bone density, biopsy, and specimen radiography systems can often be serviced in-house or with a less costly biomed first call agreement. This is a cost-saving alternative for those facilities with a strong biomed department.
Julie Johnson