Strategic Analysis of Semiconductors in the Global Medical Imaging Market

SUMMARY

Accurately Meeting the Needs of Medical Imaging Modality Market Crucial for SemiconductorVendors

While the medical imaging modality market is a relatively stable one, the semiconductor industryis in a state of transition from a technology standpoint, especially in regard to meeting thedemands of medical imaging modality vendors. The critical challenge facing semiconductor vendors,therefore, is to understand the dynamics of the medical imaging modality market as well as itsunique needs in order to address those requirements with the relevant technology. Demand from themedical imaging modality market is on the rise as semiconductor content in medical imaging systemssuch as ultrasounds and computed tomography (CT) scanners continues to increase and is likely tocontinue to do so until 2008.

This Frost & Sullivan research is a valuable resource for semiconductor vendors looking toestablish themselves in the medical imaging modality market. With the help of detailed revenueforecasts provided for the total semiconductor market in this research service, vendors can evaluateexactly where they stand in the market. Since the forecasts are segmented on technology basis,vendors can also assess the future development of each technology and their potential.

Keeping Pace with the Demand for Constant Upgradation a Major Challenge for SemiconductorVendors

Semiconductor vendors today have a vast range of technologies to choose from when catering to theneeds of their medical imaging clients. However, vendors need to work with the various optionsavailable to determine if they can arrive at a combination of two or three technologies. Bycollaborating with other vendors, they might be able to achieve the best possible technology for allconcerned.

Moreover, since high-end medical imaging instruments such as ultrasound systems and magneticresonance imaging (MRI) scanners are often extremely expensive, end customers view these systems asa long-term investment. "The quality of imaging is therefore, very crucial in this market,making it imperative for semiconductor vendors to come up with regular upgrades and cut down on thetime-to-market," remark the analysts of this research service.

FPGA Technology Gains Ground

"Field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology is likely to be one of the fastest growingsegments," note the analysts. "Revenues for FPGA vendors from the medical imaging modalityspace are expected to increase from $118 million in 2004 to $204 million in 2008 at a compoundannual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7 percent."

Although this technology is relatively new, it has slowly begun replacing other well-establishedtechnologies in some major modalities. FPGA is reprogrammable, flexible, and reusable since anyupgrade involves merely a change of software. This gives it a major advantage over, for instance,application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) since ASIC vendors find it difficult to meetfrequent upgrade demands from medical imaging modality vendors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF SEMICONDUCTORS IN THE GLOBAL MEDICAL IMAGING MARKET

Title & TOC

List> Title Table of Contents

Executive Summary

• Overview - Technology and Market
• Medical Imaging Market - Modality Definitions

Medical Imaging- An Introduction

• Salient Features
• Trends

Medical Imaging- Total Forecast

• Total Revenue Forecast of Medical Imaging Market

Medical Imaging - Analysis by Equipment

• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• Computer Tomography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Positron Emission Tomography
• 3D Imaging - In Detail

Semiconductor Forecast and Brief Analysis

• Total Semiconductor Forecast for Medical Imaging Modalities
• FPGA for Medical Imaging
• ASIC for medical imaging
• ASSP for Medical Imaging
• Data Converters for Medical Imaging
• Amplifiers for Medical Imaging
• DSP for Medical Imaging
• MPUs for Medical Imaging
• MCUs for Medical Imaging
• Power Semiconductors for Medical Imaging

DSDs

• Decision Support Database