Cardiac PET has a strong future, according to an overview of the market by radiopharmaceutical developer FluoroPharma Medical.
The fundamentals of PET for cardiac imaging are very strong, with the value of the global isotope market expected to reach $4.5 billion this year. The market could potentially reach $7 billion by 2020, said FluoroPharma CEO Thijs Spoor in a statement.
Cardiovascular procedures increased by 28% between 2000 and 2010, while the challenges and costs associated with cardiovascular disease continue to grow. SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging remains the most commonly used nuclear medicine test, but the use of PET continues to increase in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, he said.
Recognition of PET's potential in cardiovascular imaging and challenges in the global supply chain for molybdenum-based SPECT procedures beyond 2016 have also boosted PET's prospects for cardiac imaging.
Meanwhile, the company has completed a phase II trial of its CardioPET radiopharmaceutical, and recruitment is now underway at Massachusetts General Hospital for a phase II trial of BFPET, an F-18-labeled tracer.
