Positron Emission Tomography Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Positron Emission Tomography Market is projected to expand from USD 3.12 Billion in 2025 to USD 4.68 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 6.99%. As a functional imaging modality using radiotracers to measure metabolic processes, PET enables the precise diagnosis and monitoring of complex medical conditions. Market growth is primarily driven by the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, especially within oncology and cardiology, creating a need for high-precision early detection tools. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of hybrid systems like PET/CT and PET/MRI is enhancing diagnostic accuracy and workflow efficiency, boosting technology uptake globally.

Conversely, market expansion faces significant hurdles due to complex logistics and sporadic shortages of medical radioisotopes, which cause supply chain vulnerabilities. The dependence on a limited number of production reactors for these time-sensitive materials creates bottlenecks for consistent service delivery. Highlighting the sector's vast scale and the critical role of these diagnostics, the World Nuclear Association reported in 2024 that approximately 50 million nuclear medicine procedures were performed globally, underscoring modern healthcare's reliance on these advanced capabilities.

Market Drivers

The rising global burden of cancer acts as the primary catalyst expanding the Positron Emission Tomography landscape. Increasing oncological cases necessitate precise staging, restaging, and treatment response evaluation, directly boosting PET scan volumes. These procedures are vital for detecting metabolic changes prior to anatomical alterations, facilitating appropriate therapeutic interventions. Emphasizing this growing burden, the American Cancer Society's 'Cancer Facts & Figures 2024' report projected 2,001,140 new cancer cases in the United States alone for the year, ensuring sustained demand for imaging services throughout the care continuum.

Concurrently, the development of novel radiotracers for neurological conditions, specifically Alzheimer's disease, is a strong secondary market driver. Innovations in radiopharmaceuticals allow for the visualization of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, extending PET utility to geriatric and neurology sectors to address cognitive disorders. According to the Alzheimer's Association's March 2024 report, an estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia, representing a significant patient base. The commercial success of these agents is illustrated by Lantheus, which reported worldwide revenue of $1.3 billion for the full year 2023, reflecting strong financial adoption of advanced imaging agents.

Market Challenges

The complex logistics and intermittent shortages of medical radioisotopes represent a significant barrier to the Global Positron Emission Tomography Market. The sector depends on a fragile supply chain where essential tracer production is concentrated in limited facilities and aging nuclear reactors. When these key infrastructure points experience unplanned maintenance or shutdowns, it causes immediate bottlenecks that disrupt the global healthcare system. Consequently, facilities struggle to maintain consistent schedules, leading to cancellations and hesitation to invest in new PET modalities without assured tracer availability.

This vulnerability is worsened by the just-in-time nature of these rapidly decaying materials, which prevents effective stockpiling. The lack of a stable supply undermines market confidence and hampers operational throughput, preventing full utilization of diagnostic capabilities. As noted by Nuclear Medicine Europe in 2024, the European market accounted for over 20% of global diagnostic isotope consumption, highlighting the massive volume of patients vulnerable to production network disruptions. Such supply insecurity restricts the broader adoption of advanced procedures, ultimately slowing the market's overall growth.

Market Trends

Artificial intelligence integration in image reconstruction is fundamentally transforming PET system capabilities. Manufacturers are utilizing deep learning algorithms to improve signal-to-noise ratios, facilitating high-quality imaging with reduced radiotracer doses and shorter scan times. This technological shift balances image clarity with patient exposure, enabling the detection of previously invisible lesions. Validating this trend, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported in August 2024 that radiology devices comprised 79% of all authorized AI/ML-enabled medical devices, highlighting the significant regulatory clearance of these software enhancements.

Simultaneously, the growth of theranostic radiopharmaceuticals is creating a direct commercial link between diagnostic PET imaging and targeted therapy. This method pairs a diagnostic isotope with a therapeutic agent based on genomic targets, requiring a PET scan to confirm target expression before treatment. This ensures therapy is reserved for patients who will benefit, making the scan a prerequisite for high-value treatments. According to Novartis' July 2024 financial report, sales for the radioligand therapy Pluvicto reached $345 million, a 44% increase in constant currency, driving requisite demand for companion PSMA-PET imaging.

Key Players Profiled in the Positron Emission Tomography Market

• GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.
• Toshiba Corporation
• Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Siemens Healthineers AG
• Hitachi Medical Corporation
• Positron Corporation
• Mediso Ltd.
• Yangzhou Kindsway Biotech Co., Ltd.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Positron Emission Tomography Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Positron Emission Tomography Market, by Product Type:

• Full Ring PET Scanner
• Partial Ring PET Scanner

Positron Emission Tomography Market, by Application:

• Oncology
• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Others

Positron Emission Tomography Market, by End User:

• Hospitals
• Diagnostic Centres
• Research Institutes
• others

Positron Emission Tomography Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Positron Emission Tomography Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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