U.S. Picture Archiving & Communication System (PACS) Market - Focused Insights 2024-2029

MARKET INSIGHTS

The U.S. picture archiving & communication system (PACS) market size was valued at USD 981.08 million in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 1.27 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.50% during the forecast period. The demand for the U.S. picture archiving & communication system market is on the rise due to multiple factors, including the growing adoption of healthcare I.T. infrastructure, increased utilization of diagnostic imaging for detecting various disorders, and a surge in cases of infectious diseases.

Picture archiving & communication system (PACS) is a medical imaging technology that allows healthcare professionals to store, retrieve, and distribute digital medical images and reports.

MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Increasing use of Cloud and Artificial Intelligence

Cloud solutions in healthcare image management are rapidly increasing as providers seek more efficient data management methods. Providers now offer cloud-hosted, hybrid-cloud, and cloud-adjacent solutions, which provide benefits like scalable resources on demand and cost-effective service models. Cloud solutions can easily adjust to changing needs, unlike traditional on-premise PACS deployments. Nevertheless, hospitals face challenges with cost, security, and performance expectations. In the end, hybrid solutions are expected to dominate as they combine the strengths of cloud and on-premise systems, delivering crucial advantages for this essential technology.

Increasing Prevalence of Brain Cancer

The increasing prevalence of brain cancer is a concerning trend, necessitating efficient and effective methods for diagnosis and management. Radiology imaging is crucial in detecting, diagnosing, and monitoring brain tumors. Radiology Information Systems (RIS) are instrumental in managing radiological imaging orders, storing patient data, and streamlining billing processes. When integrated with PACS and Vendor Neutral Archives (VNAs), RIS facilitates seamless access to image archives and ensures comprehensive record-keeping. The statistics provided by the American Cancer Society for brain and spinal cord tumors in the U.S. highlight the magnitude of the issue. In 2023, it was estimated that approximately 25,400 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord would be diagnosed, with about 18,760 people succumbing to these tumors. These figures underscore the urgent need for advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities, including radiology imaging, to combat brain cancer effectively.

MARKET RESTRAINTS

Presence of PACS Alternatives

The Vendor Neutral Archive, sometimes known as the VNA, was developed to address the issues brought by vendor-specific PACS. The most basic description of a vendor-neutral archive is a program that keeps medical images in a common format with a standard user interface. As a result, regardless of the vendor, any workstation can view photos stored in VNA. Software platforms that provide solutions for medical image sharing are used for viewing, training, storing, and sharing medical data and amplifying the efficiency of the chosen medical treatment. Medicai is an example of a software platform that offers solutions for sharing medical data. Medicai's technology connects hospitals, clinics, doctors, and patients into a seamlessly collaborative network, forming an extensive virtual hospital.

SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS

INSIGHT BY DEVELOPMENT TYPE

The U.S. picture archiving & communication system (PACS) market by development type is segmented into cloud-based PACS and on-premises PACS. The cloud-based PACS segment dominated the market in 2023 with over 65% of market share. The growth is attributed to the rising popularity of cloud-based technology in an integrated healthcare system to improve digital workflows. By switching to an entirely operated cloud-native SaaS model, practices can save money on overhead and upkeep, offer dependable remote reading access, and take advantage of best cybersecurity practices.

INSIGHT BY APPLICATION TYPE

The U.S. picture archiving & communication system (PACS) market by application type is categorized into radiology PACS, cardiology PACS, and others. The radiology PACS segment holds the largest share in 2023. The rising volume of radiology and cardiology procedures due to higher incidences of chronic illness is supporting the market for radiology PACS. The rise in the usage of AI in radiology is a clear indicator of the rapid changes that can be expected in the years to come. According to the American College of Radiology, the clinical adoption of AI has rapidly increased. It is observed that the usage of AI had grown to 30% in 2020, compared with virtually non-existent use in 2015.

INSIGHT BY END-USER TYPE

The other end-user segment, which includes educational and research medical institutions, showcases significant growth, with the highest CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. Academic and research institutes have increasingly adopted PACS for their medical imaging needs. These institutions leverage PACS to streamline image storage, retrieval, and sharing processes, enhancing collaboration among researchers and clinicians. The increasing adoption of cloud-based picture archiving and communications systems in research labs due to its growing application scope across medical specialties, such as orthopedics, neurosurgery, oncology, & cardiology, fuels market growth.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The U.S. picture archiving & communication system (PACS) market contains exclusive data on 27 vendors. Market players are involved in business activities such as strategic collaborations, new service launches, and regional expansion, as emerging countries are still in the loop of adopting Healthcare Cloud PACS. Leading companies continuously invest in research and development to innovate and improve their systems. This includes enhancements in image resolution, processing speed, data storage, and security features. Sectra, Fujifilm, Change Healthcare, Philips, Agfa, Intelerad, GE Healthcare, Carestream, and IBM are the top-performing vendors in the picture archiving & communication system (PACS) market.