Global Forensic Imaging Market Size, Share, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Modality (X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound); By Application (Death Investigations, Clinical Studies); By End-Use (Forensic Institutes, Hospitals, Others); By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2021 – 2030

Market Overview

The Global Forensic Imaging Market Size is expected to witness market growth at a rate of 11.6% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2030 and is expected to reach USD 171.56 million by 2030. The prominent factors for the market growth include growing preference towards virtual autopsy, awareness among patients about the benefits of virtual autopsy as compared to traditional body opening autopsies, and the innovations in cross-sectional imaging procedures.  

The Global Forensic Imaging Market Size was worth USD 97.7 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6% between 2021 and 2030. One of the major market drivers is the growing preference for virtopsy or virtual autopsy over traditional autopsy methods. Growing awareness of the value of virtual autopsy as an alternative or supplement to traditional "body opening" autopsies has fueled market growth. The use of cross-sectional imaging modalities in forensic examinations such as CT, MRI, X-ray, and ultrasound has enabled post-mortem medical investigations to be performed quickly and with minimal invasiveness. Additionally, it is anticipated that the integration of artificial intelligence and the expansion of the applications of imaging modalities in the identification of the deceased and the matching of severed body parts would create new opportunities for market expansion.

A virtual autopsy is a non-invasive method that is replacing the traditional autopsy as the preferred option for communities. For instance, autopsy is not encouraged in the Buddhist culture of Japan. Muslims, Jews, and certain Native Americans do not embrace traditional autopsies either, though. Therefore, it is projected that the market would rise because to the growing acceptance of virtual autopsy on a global scale.

The use of forensic imaging modalities is expected to increase as virtual autopsies gain popularity in legal systems. The visual evidence created from a traditional autopsy method can occasionally be extremely upsetting and gory for lay viewers, which hinders its acceptance in court procedures.

Opportunity: -

• Increase crime rates

The recent increase in violent crimes occurring around the world is the main factor propelling the market's rise. Recently, this has been the situation. In addition, the secondary factors that are driving the market expansion by increasing demand for forensics are murder, robbery, sexual assault, and global homicide. Additionally, a sizable amount of the recent rise in crime rates can be attributed to the nations of North and South America. This tendency has been followed by Africa and Asia, and it is expected to create opportunities for growth in the coming years.

Modality Insight: -

 The X-ray market category, which had the greatest market share of 52.6% in 2019, is expected to grow profitably over the next years. In forensic medicine, the imaging technique was regarded as the gold standard for identifying a deceased person's body. Gunshot, air embolism, and automobile accident deaths are the main indications for X-ray scans in forensic cases. Its diminishing installation rate has been influenced by the rising usage of contemporary imaging technology like CT and MRI over time. However, despite restricted accessibility and cost to imaging technology in impoverished and underdeveloped parts of the world, X-rays are still used in forensic imaging.

Throughout the projected period, the CAGR for the CT segment is anticipated to be 13.7%. Compared to a standard autopsy, a postmortem CT examination can more precisely find diseases and fractures in complicated areas of the corpse such the spine, neck, face, and pelvis. Additionally, the practise of using a CT scan before an autopsy in order to focus the autopsy's scope is becoming more popular due to its time and cost advantages. For instance, if a CT scan reveals that a person who was killed in a vehicle accident died from head trauma and had a normal pelvis and abdomen, the autopsy would only be performed on the head.

Due to its high cost, complexity, and existence of strict imaging protocols, MRI is not frequently employed in forensic imaging. Due to its capacity to produce excellent soft-tissue contrast images of the neurological tissue, such as the brain and spine, an MRI is frequently suggested as an addition to CT scans. The use of MRI in forensic imaging is also limited by factors like the need for certain body conditions and the ability to only scan one body part at a time.

Application Insights: -

With a market share of 77.2% in 2019, the death investigations category led all other categories. The greatest market share in the category is a result of the rising number of unnatural deaths, including murders, suicides, and accidental injuries. The use of virtual autopsy has also been spurred by the court's stringent evidence requirement, which supports the precise cause of death in circumstances lacking suitable eyewitnesses.

Demand for using forensic imaging for clinical studies is anticipated to increase during the predicted period. Its expanding market share has been attributed to the rising number of voluntary body donors for anatomical studies and the regular outbreaks of novel lethal diseases. For instance, using the conventional procedure to perform an autopsy on the COVID19 deceased may be dangerous. To understand the pathophysiology of the new disease, there is a strong demand for an autopsy of such bodies. By reducing the risk of infection spread, radiological imaging can be employed in these situations to perform a virtual autopsy.

End-Use Insights: -

In 2019, the forensic imaging market was dominated by forensic institutes, who accounted for 64.1% of total revenue. The installation of imaging equipment in forensic institutions has increased as a result of increased research into the evaluation and effects of the use of contemporary imaging technologies in forensic medicine. Forensic imaging CT scanners have already been placed at places like the Institute of Forensic Medicine Denmark and the Victoria Institute of Pathology Sydney.

Given that hospitals have the necessary resources, including floor space, technical staff, money, pathologists, and radiologists, to conduct a virtual autopsy all under one roof, the hospital segment is anticipated to grow at a high CAGR of over 11.1% during the projection period. In the upcoming years, forensic imaging equipment will also become more widely used in hospitals because to issues with expense, risk, and time related to the transfer of corpses to forensic institutes for the inquiry.

Private autopsy facilities, medical schools, and forensic laboratories are included in the other end-use segment. Due to a paucity of funding and technical know-how, the adoption rate of the virtual autopsy is low in this market. The category is anticipated to rise significantly over the projected period due to increased awareness about and accessibility to advanced imaging technology.

Regional Insights: -

The greatest market share, 35.6%, was held by Europe in 2019, and it is anticipated that this dominance will last during the projected period. The market in the region is expected to be driven by the early adoption of radiological imaging in forensics, particularly in the U.K., Switzerland, Netherlands, and Denmark. Additionally, a number of occasions including conferences, workshops, and seminars held to broaden the audience and raise awareness about the use of forensic imaging are projected to fuel market expansion. For instance, in 2019 Germany hosted the annual meeting of the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging. At this yearly conference, participants from all over the world came together to exchange experiences and discuss the advantages of using imaging technologies in forensic medicine.

North America had a 28.9% revenue share in 2019 and is anticipated to expand moderately over the projection period. The ongoing transition in the United States from a coroner system to a medical examiner system will increase demand for forensic imaging. This has led to a pathologist scarcity in the nation. In the upcoming years, the U.S. is anticipated to experience a significant increase in demand for additional pathologists at autopsy examination centres to handle the enormous workload. As a result, it is projected that autopsy facilities would embrace more cutting-edge imaging technologies, which will enable them to do less unneeded autopsies.

The market is predicted to expand quickest in Asia Pacific during the projection. In the field of forensics, forensic imaging is widely used, particularly in nations like Thailand, Australia, China, and Japan. For instance, many general hospitals now substitute advanced imaging equipment for autopsies or utilize it as a triage tool. In order to facilitate teleradiology in the profession of forensic imaging, Japan has also built an imaging information centre specifically dedicated to autopsies.

Key companies and market share insights: -

To make CT imaging more available and cheaper for forensic centres, major corporations place a strong emphasis on research and development. For instance, at the Arab Health 2019 event in January 2019, Cannon introduces the "Aquilion Start CT," a low-cost, small-sized 16 slice CT scanner designed for forensic imaging services. To increase their market share, competitors are using a variety of tactics, including product launches, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and the creation of low-cost machinery, particularly for emerging markets. For instance, Fujifilm will later this year purchase Hitachi Medical Imaging, a competing company, in April 2020. The global pandemic's effects have slowed down the acquisition process. Leading companies in the forensic imaging market include:

Competitive Players: -

• Bruker
• Toshiba Medical Systems.Inc.
• Fujifilm
• Shimadzu Corporation
• Neusoft Corporation
• LGC Limited
• Agilent Technology Inc.
• 3M COMPANY
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
• NMS Labs
• Ultra-Electronics Forensic Technology Inc.

Segmentation: -

By Type

• Services
• Products

By Region: -

North America

• Canada
• Mexico
• U.S

Europe: -

• Germany
• France
• The U.K.
• Italy
• Rest of Europe

Asia-pacific: -

• China
• Australia
• India
• Rest of Asia -Pacific

LAMEA: -

• Rest of LAMEA
• Brazil
• Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Africa