Market Definition
Digital pathology is a dynamic & image-based environment that enables the gathering, managing, & interpreting of pathology information generated from a digitized glass slide. With the rise in its healthcare applications, such as primary & intraoperative diagnosis, medical student & resident training, diagnostic consultation, clinical research, & tumor boards, the Digital Pathology Market has witnessed considerable expansion in recent years.
Moreover, the surging global prevalence of oncology diseases like breast & testicular cancers, multiple myeloma, etc., has led various industry players to invest in new product developments in the field of pathology. These efforts have been well-supported by various governments worldwide, due to which the digital pathology industry has experienced an uptick in growth historically.
| Report Coverage | Details |
|---|---|
| Study Period | Historical Data: 2017-20 |
| Base Year: 2021 | |
| Forecast Period: 2022-27 | |
| CAGR (2022-2027) | 14% |
| Regions Covered | North America: USA, Canada, Mexico |
| Europe: Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe | |
| Asia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia - Pacifc | |
| South America: Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America | |
| Middle East & Africa: UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Rest of Middle East & Africa | |
| Key Companies Profiled | 3Dhistech Ltd., Apollo Enterprise Imaging Corp, Aurora Interactive Ltd., Koninklijke Philips, Corista Llc, Glencoe Software, Inc., Definiens Ag, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Digipath Inc., Huron Technologies International Inc., Indica Labs Inc., Leica Biosystem Inc., Leica Microsystems Gmbh, Ligolab Llc, Mikroscan Technologies Inc. and others |
| Unit Denominations | USD Million/Billion |
Market Insights
The Global Digital Pathology Market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 14% during the forecast period, i.e., 2022-27. The growth of the market attributes primarily to the mounting adoption of digital pathology in medical institutions for disease diagnosis as well as in medical colleges for training-based purposes.
Nowadays, the demand for digital pathology solutions has considerably grown due to the rising number of cases for both Communicable & Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). In 2021, NCDs accounted for 71% of all global deaths, with more than 15 million people aged between 30-69 years dying from NCDs each year, of which 85% of these premature deaths occur in middle & low-income countries.
Due to a significantly high number of medical cases, healthcare facilities have started adopting digital technologies, which has resulted in the growing demand for digital pathology as one of the key solutions for expediting diagnosis-based operations. Moreover, several major medical colleges & hospitals have adopted digital pathology solutions, which, in turn, has encouraged other medical institutions to adopt similar practices in their respective countries. For instance:
· In 2021, the UK-based Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) stated that it would deploy Indica Labs' HALO AP digital pathology software in order to manage & view scanned slides for primary diagnosis, secondary consultations, tumor boards, remote reporting, & multi-disciplinary team meetings.
· According to the WHO, as of 2021, a total number of NCD-related deaths occurred from Cardiovascular diseases (17.9 million), cancer (9.3 million), respiratory diseases (4.1 million), & diabetes (1.5 million).
The trend shows a high number of NCD cases, which shall surge further with the increasing population & usage of tobacco, coupled with sedentary lifestyles. It, in turn, would provide more opportunities for the adoption of digital pathology solutions in the healthcare sector for easy & timely diagnosis of diseases
Impact of Covid-19 on the Global Digital Pathology Market
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of Digital Pathology with the increased adoption and training. In addition, the paradigm shifts within the medical facilities to rely on digital solutions for operational activities & reduce physical contact catalyzed the market expansion.
Medical facilities worldwide experienced a massive surge in the number of Covid-19 cases where the healthcare sector was witnessing over-capacity to cater to patients. With the increasing number of cases, many makeshift centers got created. This phenomenon attracted sizeable investments in the healthcare sector and enabled it to adopt digital technologies to reduce the work-related pressure on the overburdened work staff.
Market Segmentation
By Component:
Of them all, Hardware-based digital pathology solutions witnessed modest growth in their demand. The surging sales of digital cameras & scanners and communication systems among various end-users like healthcare institutions, pharma & biopharma companies, etc., to transfer taken samples from one place to another without degrading their quality or characteristics has bolstered the demand for hardware-based digital pathology solutions. However, the rapid adoption of cloud infrastructure in the healthcare sector has significantly boosted the demand for software-based digital pathology solutions. For instance:
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, many pathologists started working from home, which augmented the need for adopting digital pathology solutions to reduce the time consumed while physically delivering slides. The healthcare sector is readily adopting digital pathology solutions to reduce the workload & increase efficiency.
By Species:
Based on species, Human Pathology acquired a dominating share in the Global Digital Pathology Market during 2017-20 due to the early adoption of digital pathology solutions and the ever-growing need for diagnosing chronic diseases. The broadening implications of digital pathology solutions in the healthcare sector have augmented the global market growth since these solutions help reduce costs associated with disease diagnosis and slide shipping to specialists while facilitating enhanced lab productivity by minimizing the time & efforts made by pathologists. For instance:
On the other hand, Veterinary Pathology is in its embryonic stage currently. However, it displayed remarkable growth in the previous few years, owing to the shifting emphasis of pathologists towards healthcare automation through various technological integrations, like WSI (Whole-Slide Imaging) scanners in laboratories.
In addition, the early adoption of Digital Pathology in humans, the sheer volume of investments in the healthcare sector, and the rising number of pathology centers with increasing communicable diseases is another reason for the mounting demand for Digital Pathology solutions.
Regional Landscape:
Geographically, the Global Digital pathology Market expands across:
Of them all, North America grabbed a significant share in the Global Digital Pathology Market during 2017-21, primarily due to high-level investments in the healthcare sector across countries like the US, Canada, & Mexico.
North America has been one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide for digital pathology solutions during the historical period. Several key factors, such as easy availability of digital pathology products, extensive presence of leading industry players, the burgeoning demand for quality diagnostics due to high prevalence of cancer, an increasing number of healthcare IT startups, etc., have well-contributed to the elevating demand for digital pathology solutions across the region.
Due to the high prevalence of cancer across North America, pathologists require data to ease personalized therapy for patients. As a result, they are gradually shifting toward adopting digital pathology solutions, owing to their several benefits like accelerated diagnostic accuracy, diagnosis rate, & therapeutic recommendations to improve patient upshots. For instance:
Based on species, Veterinary Pathology is gaining modest traction in the North America Digital Pathology Market. The emerging need for disease diagnostics for vets, the early adoption of veterinary pathology in countries like the US & Canada, and extensive research & development in healthcare have magnified the demand for digital pathology solutions across the region. In addition, the growing count of startups receiving funding for promoting veterinary pathology would also channelize the growth for digital pathology in the years to come. For instance:
Biotech & pharma firms are likely to witness major demand for digital pathology solutions in the coming years, owing to the well-established pharmaceutical & biotechnology industry in North America. These entities conduct extensive research, which, in turn, generates a vast amount of data to be transmitted, wherein digital pathology solutions play a crucial role in streamlining the overall process.
Moreover, the adoption of digital pathology has eliminated the need for a manual sample collection process, owing to which biotech & pharma companies have been the key end-users of digital pathology solutions in the recent past. To promote growth in the region, various players have formed strategic partnerships to leverage the potential of digital pathology, i.e., anticipated to fuel the market growth in the coming years. For instance:
Based on components, North America is likely to observe a significant demand uptrend for Digital Pathology software in the forthcoming years, owing to the extensive presence of world-class software companies in the region, especially in the US, and various toward healthcare automation by the regional governments. For instance:
Based on application, the demand for Digital Pathology solutions in the Teleconsultation application is expected to witness sustainable growth across North America over the forecast years. It owes to its crucial role in obliterating the need for pathologists to carry samples to hospitals or clinics. In case of a medical emergency, teleconsultation proves to be a lifesaver. For instance:
With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, digital pathology solutions for teleconsultation have witnessed an increased demand since there was a dire need for healthcare professionals to communicate with each other owing to strict mobility restrictions imposed across North American countries. Hence, owing to these aspects, the Digital Pathology Market in North America has witnessed the fastest growth in the previous few years.
The US Remained the Global Dominant Force
During 2017-20, the Digital Pathology Market in the US experienced significant growth opportunities due to the extensive healthcare R&D capabilities and an expanding network of end-users, including biotech companies, hospitals, academic & research institutes, etc., in the country, which use digital pathology solutions. The US has a widely scattered, highly sophisticated, and complex healthcare system due to which there are burgeoning workloads in clinical laboratories.
The deployment of digital pathology helps healthcare professionals access a broader range of databases and simultaneously reduce costs & time. Despite the growing uptrend, the country faces several setbacks due to the strict regulations imposed by various institutions associated with digital pathology, which has withheld the demand to some extent. For instance:
Market Dynamics:
Key Driver: Increasing Prevalence of Oncology Disorders
Oncology disorders are considered the most common premature mortality worldwide. The increasing number of cancer patients has infused the demand for digital pathology solutions since they help pathologists streamline diagnostic workflows in oncology disorders. According to GLOBOCAN, the Global Cancer Observatory, an estimated 28.4 million new cancer cases are likely by 2040 worldwide, i.e., a 47% increase from the estimated 19.3 million cases in 2020. Besides, the surging incidence of oncology disorders across regions like Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe, etc., is another crucial aspect projected to drive the Global Digital Pathology Market over the forecast years.
Possible Challenge: Lack of Skilled Pathologists
The lack of trained or skilled pathologists poses a prominent challenge to the Digital Pathology Market. The shortage of qualified pathologists, especially across Asia-Pacific & Africa, is creating distress in the market, mainly due to the rising adoption of digital pathology solutions in these regions for remote pathological services in rural areas, coupled with the burgeoning incidences of oncology disorders.
Key Questions Answered in the Market Research Report:
Frequently Asked Questions
A. The Global Digital Pathology Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 14% during 2022-27.
A. Asia Pacific, followed by North America & Europe are anticipated to emerge as an area of remunerative growth opportunities for the leading players in the Global Digital Pathology Market during 2022-27.
A. The growing adoption of advanced technologies by the healthcare sector across the middle-income countries with the high number of cases for mon-communicable diseases is one of the prime aspects anticipated to drive the Global Digital Pathology Market during 2022-27.
A. With the aftermath of over capacitating healthcare sector amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and unforeseen surge in the adoption of digital technologies in the healthcare sector, the demand for digital pathology solutions would decently grow in the coming years.
