C-Arms Lends A Helping Hand to Physicians

The need of rapid diagnosis due to the prevalence of chronic diseases has led to increased development of C-arms. C-arms have applications in neurosurgery, orthopedics, and cardiovascular disorders.

What are C-Arms?

C-arms are imaging devices used in a diverse range of clinical applications. Mobile and fixed C-arms are two major types of C-arm units. Mobile C-arms are commonly known as image intensifiers. They are more in demand than fixed units due to their inexpensive price and flexibility in multiple applications. Mini C-arms are mobile C-arms used in podiatrics and sports medicine.

Developments in C-arms units include 3D visualization, reduction of radiation doses, flat panel displays (FPD), image processing software, and higher resolution of real-time images. Ziehm Imaging was one of the first to introduce a FPD system for its mobile C-arm, followed by Philips. FPDs allow a larger field of view as well as take up minimum space in the operating room. The Ziehm Solo FD was recently cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for sale.

Latest Developments

GE Healthcare recently launched OEC Elite MiniView C-arm which can reduce errors in the operating room. Its latest imaging device can aid surgeons with its easy to maneuver system and ease any patient concerns. It allows better control over the radiation dose and consumes less power.

Sharp Medical Systems is one of the first to provide pain management services under the guidance of C-arm systems. Physicians are able to provide prolotherapy injections to patients due to the help of real-time images.

Market Overview

The worldwide fixed and mobile C-arms market is projected to touch USD 2.3 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to exhibit a 3.4% CAGR over the forecast period (2014 - 2025). It is driven by the rise of the geriatric populace who are susceptible to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Mobile and fixed C-arms are two major types of products within the market. The former is expected robust growth over the forecast period owing to its variety of customized solutions for different medical applications. Pain management is anticipated to be the biggest market application in the forthcoming years. Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit a high growth rate in the forthcoming years. Prominent players include Toshiba Medical Systems, GE Healthcare, Hologic Corporation, and Philips Healthcare.

In-Depth research report on fixed and mobile C-arms market:
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/fixed-mobile-c-arms-market