Report: U.S. PACS penetration reaches nearly 90%

PACS adoption is nearly complete in the United States. Image Source: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

The deployment of PACS technology in U.S. healthcare has penetrated nearly 90 percent of the market, according to a report from market research firm Research & Markets.

During the past 35 years, ultrasound and nuclear medicine were introduced into clinical medicine, CT revolutionized diagnostic procedures and MRI emerged, bringing new diagnostic information at the cellular level, the report noted. “X-ray morphed from analog films to digital, and virtually all medical images became soft files on the electronic networks,” Research & Markets reported.

The report also revealed that more and more PACS utilize internet-based technologies as a means of communication, which allows remote viewing and diagnosis with implications for both civilian and military healthcare facilities.

Research & Markets also examined the interconnections with RIS, since radiology departments dominate the production of images.

Editor’s Note: This report’s findings must be limited to large hospitals and academic medical centers within the U.S., as our knowledge about the market would reflect much less penetration — especially within smaller hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, cardiology practices and physician offices.