Acute Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis Market Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2024-2028)

Market Dynamics

Rising number of Acute Stroke patients and technological innovations in Diagnostics devices are the major factors driving the growth of the market, while high cost of the instruments is the key factor challenging the growth of the market.

In 2017, the global prevalence of Ischemic stroke was 1.41%, with more than nearly 12 million being diagnosed in 2017. Moreover, the prevalence of the disease is expected to rise in the future as well. As per a report by the American Heart Association, the incidence of stroke in the United States is projected to be 3.48% in 2020, which is further expected to increase to 3.88% by 2030. In developing regions like Asia, the prevalence of ischemic stroke has increased over the years. As per a 2016 report by Nijasri C Suwanwela et al., Neurology India, a higher proportion of ischemic stroke in comparison to hemorrhagic stroke was found in Asian countries. The overall incidence of stroke in Asia is between 116 and 483/100,000 per year. Moreover, when compared to 1999, a 2-3-fold increase in the number of neurologists was obser ved in all countries. Additionally, the medical cost of stroke is also expected to rise in the future. As per the American Heart Association, the medical expense on stroke in the United States is expected to rise from USD 107.57 billion in 2020 to USD 184.13 billion by 2030. The increasing incidence of acuter ischemic stroke has increased the demand for diagnostic tests for the same, which has helped the market growth.

The diagnostic imaging machines vary in cost, which depends primarily on the strength and type of the scanner in use. With high strength, the scanners are able to provide highly detailed images, thereby raising the overall cost of machines. The overall cost of any imaging equipment is a huge investment for healthcare providers. Apart from the initial cost of investment for purchasing the imaging equipment, there are additional costs of around USD 8 million every year, which include its maintenance and high-cost for chilling the magnetic coils in the machine in case of an MRI.

Segmentation by Diagnostic Type

Rapid evaluation of acute stroke patients is expected to increase as the population ages and acute therapies expand. Imaging has become a significant aspect in the evaluation of acute ischemic stroke patients. Currently, non-contrast computed tomography (CT) remains one of the primary imaging modality for the initial evaluation of patients with suspected stroke.

A computed tomography (CT) scan uses a series of X-rays to create a detailed image of the brain. A CT scan is capable of showing any bleeding in the brain, an ischemic stroke, a tumor, and other conditions. A dye may be injected into the bloodstream to view the blood vessels in the neck and brain in greater detail (computerized tomography angiography). Moreover, advances have increased the overall sensitivity of CT to diagnose stroke as 64% and the specificity is 85%. As a result of these benefits, the demand for CT for acute ischemic stroke is high. Moreover, many companies are launching new and improved products in the market for a more efficient diagnosis. This has helped the market growth.

In 2019, iSchemaView unveiled RAPID ANGIO. It is a complete neuroimaging solution for the angiography suite that integrates iSchemaView’s RAPID software to syngo DynaCT Multiphase from Siemens Healthineers. The syngo DynaCT Multiphase is a three-dimensional image acquisition technique employing multiple rotations of a C-arm system to acquire a multi-phasic 3D representation of the brain and its perfusion. This technology, when combined with the RAPID platform’s clinically validated CTP product, delivers a powerful imaging solution to the angio suite for acute stroke patients.

These developments have made the segment more competitive, which has also helped the market growth.

Segmentation by Geography

Stroke is the leading cause of severe long-term disability, and it is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans. According to the CDC, nearly 800,000 (approximately 795,000) people in the United States have strokes every year, with about three in the four being first-time strokes. Therefore, it is found that about 87% of strokes are classified as ischemic in the United States.

Stroke is also killing about 140,000 Americans each year, i.e., one out of every 20 deaths. It has also been found that someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every four minutes, someone dies due to it. The higher rates of mortality associated with strokes highlight an impending need for the diagnosis. Therefore, the increasing pressure to control stroke rates has helped significantly in boosting the market growth. In the United States, the risk of ischemic stroke in current smokers is about double than that of nonsmokers.

The stroke costs the country an estimated USD 34 billion each year, which totally includes the cost of healthcare services, medicines to treat stroke, and missed days of work. The primary risk factors that are found to help increase the chances of stroke in the US citizens are high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, sedentary lifestyles, and lack of exercise

Neurological CT and MRI scans are used to view the brain and spine. They can detect a blood clot or intracranial bleeding in patients with ischemic stroke, brain damage from head injury, and other disorders. Therefore, the increase in the adoption of diagnosis processes, such as CT scan, MRI, and others, for the timely diagnosis of stroke helps in driving the market.

In addition to these, the recent COVID-19 outbreak has affected the market at a low to medium rate. Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, many reports suggested that it may lead to a hypercoagulable state and thrombotic complications. Recent publications from New York have raised the possibility that COVID-19 might increase the risk of ischemic stroke. Hence, all the aforementioned factors are helpful in driving the acute ischemic stroke diagnosis market in the United States.