U.S. Infection Imaging Services Market Size, Share & Analysis Report, 2024-2033
The global U.S. infections imaging market size was exhibited at USD 30.72 billion in 2023 and is projected to hit around USD 48.17 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2033.
The U.S. Infection Imaging Services Market is at the forefront of innovation in diagnostic imaging, supporting clinicians in detecting, localizing, and monitoring infections in a broad spectrum of medical conditions. As the healthcare landscape shifts toward precision medicine, infection imaging plays an increasingly critical role in accurate disease diagnosis, minimizing empirical treatments, and reducing the misuse of antibiotics. From complex osteomyelitis cases to device-associated infections like Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) infections, imaging services are vital for achieving timely and targeted clinical intervention.
The market comprises a diverse array of imaging modalities, including nuclear medicine, PET-CT, MRI, ultrasound, and hybrid systems, which are tailored to specific infection types and anatomical complexities. Among these, nuclear medicine continues to command a leading position due to its sensitivity in detecting early-stage infections through functional imaging. Techniques such as labeled white blood cell scans (WBC), gallium scintigraphy, and FDG-PET are widely utilized across hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and academic institutions.
The rising incidence of chronic diseases, the aging population, the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), and the growing use of implantable medical devices have significantly contributed to market growth. Moreover, technological advancements in radiotracers, fusion imaging, and AI-assisted image analysis are reshaping infection diagnosis paradigms. As the demand for early and accurate infection detection increases, the U.S. infection imaging services market is poised for sustained expansion over the next decade.
Growth in Hybrid Imaging Technologies: Integration of PET with CT and MRI is enhancing diagnostic accuracy by combining anatomical and functional insights.
AI and Machine Learning Integration: Algorithms are being developed to interpret complex infection imaging data, improving turnaround times and diagnostic confidence.
Increasing Demand for Outpatient Imaging Services: Ambulatory imaging centers are witnessing higher patient volumes due to convenience, lower cost, and faster access.
Adoption of Target-Specific Radiopharmaceuticals: Advanced radiotracers targeting inflammation and infection sites are improving the precision of nuclear imaging.
Rise in Implantable Device-Associated Infections: The growing use of orthopedic hardware and cardiac devices is increasing demand for imaging services specific to infection diagnostics.
Personalized Imaging Protocols: Customized imaging strategies are being developed for immunocompromised and high-risk patient groups.
Regulatory Support and Reimbursement Advances: CMS has broadened coverage for certain nuclear medicine procedures, driving utilization across Medicare populations.
Training and Certification Expansion: Professional societies like SNMMI are developing guidelines and training pathways to standardize infection imaging practices.
U.S. Infection Imaging Services Market Report Scope
| Report Coverage | Details |
| Market Size in 2024 | USD 30.72 Billion |
| Market Size by 2033 | USD 48.17 Billion |
| Growth Rate From 2024 to 2033 | CAGR of 4.6% |
| Base Year | 2023 |
| Forecast Period | 2024-2033 |
| Segments Covered | Indication |
| Market Analysis (Terms Used) | Value (US$ Million/Billion) or (Volume/Units) |
| Regional Scope | North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Central and South America; the Middle East and Africa |
| Key Companies Profiled | Rayus Radiology; CMS Diagnostic Services; Radnet, Inc.; Dignity Health; Alliance Medical; Inhealth Group; Sonic Healthcare; Medica Group; Unilabs; Simonmed Imaging |
One of the most significant drivers in the U.S. Infection Imaging Services Market is the increasing burden of chronic diseases and the resultant rise in device-associated infections. Conditions like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease often necessitate long-term hospital stays, surgical interventions, and the use of prosthetics or implantable devices such as catheters, stents, and orthopedic hardware. These interventions, while life-saving, introduce a risk of deep-seated or biofilm-related infections that are often hard to detect through clinical symptoms or basic tests.
Imaging plays a central role in differentiating between inflammation, mechanical failure, and infection in such cases. For instance, FDG-PET imaging is frequently used to identify low-grade infections surrounding prosthetic joints, while radiolabeled white blood cell scans help detect vertebral osteomyelitis in patients with spinal hardware. As the U.S. population ages and the number of implant surgeries continues to rise, so does the need for sophisticated infection detection tools. This escalating demand ensures a robust growth trajectory for the infection imaging services sector.
Despite its clinical utility, the adoption of infection imaging services is hindered by the high cost associated with advanced imaging technologies and radiotracers. Nuclear medicine scans, hybrid PET/CT modalities, and new generation radiopharmaceuticals come at a significant price, both in terms of capital investment and operational expenditure. Smaller hospitals, rural health centers, and clinics often lack the infrastructure and expertise required to offer these services on-site, resulting in referral delays and limited accessibility.
Moreover, reimbursement for infection imaging procedures is inconsistent, particularly for newer techniques that have yet to receive CMS approval or widespread guideline endorsement. Patients may face out-of-pocket costs that deter them from completing recommended diagnostic evaluations. These financial and logistical constraints can delay diagnosis and treatment, ultimately impacting patient outcomes. Therefore, to unlock the full potential of this market, cost containment strategies and broader payer support are necessary.
A transformative opportunity in the U.S. infection imaging services market lies in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and imaging informatics into routine clinical practice. AI-powered diagnostic platforms can support radiologists by enhancing lesion detection, characterizing infection patterns, and correlating imaging findings with clinical history and laboratory data. These tools can significantly reduce inter-reader variability and improve consistency in reporting, especially in complex or subtle infection cases.
Additionally, AI can streamline workflow by prioritizing urgent infection cases, flagging incomplete scans, and enabling real-time decision support. Cloud-based informatics platforms can facilitate remote consultations, second opinions, and centralized image repositories, supporting collaborative diagnostics across hospital networks. Vendors and imaging centers investing in AI and informatics infrastructure will be able to offer faster turnaround, higher diagnostic accuracy, and value-added reporting services—key differentiators in a competitive healthcare landscape.
Osteomyelitis imaging dominated the indication segment, largely due to its complexity, high recurrence rates, and the critical need for precise localization. Osteomyelitis, or bone infection, is particularly common in diabetic patients, trauma cases, and post-operative complications. Traditional diagnostic approaches such as X-rays or blood tests often fall short in detecting early-stage or low-grade infections. Nuclear medicine techniques, especially Tc-99m-labeled white blood cell scans and FDG-PET/CT, have emerged as gold-standard imaging tools for osteomyelitis. They enable differentiation between active infection and healing post-surgery, guiding timely surgical debridement and antibiotic management. Academic medical centers and specialty wound care clinics rely heavily on these imaging services to prevent complications such as sepsis or limb amputation.
LVAD infection imaging is emerging as the fastest-growing sub-segment within indications, given the increasing use of mechanical circulatory support devices in end-stage heart failure. LVAD infections are notoriously difficult to diagnose using physical examination alone due to overlapping symptoms with heart failure. FDG-PET/CT imaging, with its sensitivity to metabolic activity, has proven invaluable in detecting infection in driveline tunnels, device interfaces, and surrounding tissues. As cardiac surgery programs expand and survival rates improve, so does the need for reliable infection surveillance and diagnostics, making LVAD infection imaging a strategic growth area for nuclear medicine departments and cardiology-specialized imaging centers.
Nuclear medicine dominated across all indications, driven by its superior sensitivity and ability to detect infection at a molecular level before anatomical changes become evident. Techniques such as FDG-PET, gallium citrate imaging, and labeled leukocyte scintigraphy are widely used for conditions including systemic vasculitis, endocarditis, and complex musculoskeletal infections. The ability of nuclear imaging to visualize inflammatory activity and infection in real time, especially in challenging locations like spine, joints, or cardiovascular devices, makes it a preferred modality. Hospitals with nuclear medicine departments are increasingly collaborating with infectious disease specialists and surgeons to establish imaging protocols that enhance diagnostic precision and reduce unnecessary interventions.
Other modalities such as MRI and ultrasound are the fastest-growing in soft tissue infections and pediatric cases, where radiation exposure is a concern. MRI offers excellent spatial resolution, particularly for soft tissues, making it valuable for skin and subcutaneous infection evaluations, abscess localization, and musculoskeletal infection in children. Point-of-care ultrasound is gaining popularity for superficial infections, cellulitis, and vascular access site monitoring due to its portability, low cost, and real-time imaging capability. These non-radiation-based modalities are also increasingly used in community hospitals and urgent care settings, expanding access to infection diagnostics across healthcare tiers.
In the United States, the infection imaging services market benefits from a sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, robust reimbursement pathways (especially through Medicare and private insurers), and high clinical awareness among physicians. The country is home to hundreds of nuclear medicine centers, academic hospitals, and diagnostic imaging providers that specialize in infectious disease imaging, particularly in urban and tertiary care settings. Multidisciplinary infection teams—including radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, surgeons, and infectious disease specialists—work collaboratively to determine imaging strategies for complex cases.
Moreover, the prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes (affecting over 37 million Americans), a high rate of surgeries involving prosthetic implants, and an aging population contribute to a growing number of infection-related complications requiring imaging. Government agencies like the CDC also emphasize surveillance of healthcare-associated infections, promoting early and accurate diagnostics as part of infection prevention strategies. Additionally, large imaging networks such as RadNet, Akumin, and Envision Healthcare are expanding their infection imaging portfolios by investing in hybrid imaging systems, AI tools, and radiotracer access.
Private payers and public programs continue to expand reimbursement for infection imaging procedures, particularly those supported by clinical guidelines from organizations like the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). Meanwhile, tele-imaging services and teleradiology platforms are allowing remote facilities to access specialist opinions, further democratizing access to advanced infection imaging.
March 2025 – Siemens Healthineers launched a new PET/CT system in the U.S. optimized for infection and inflammation imaging with enhanced tracer uptake sensitivity and low-dose imaging protocols.
February 2025 – GE HealthCare partnered with Premier Inc. to expand access to infection-specific nuclear medicine imaging in community hospitals through AI-supported scan analysis.
December 2024 – Cardinal Health introduced a new radiotracer distribution service model across its U.S. radiopharmacy network, ensuring faster delivery of infection-related tracers like In-111 WBC.
October 2024 – SNMMI published updated clinical guidelines for imaging cardiovascular device infections, emphasizing FDG-PET and SPECT as frontline modalities.
August 2024 – Envision Radiology added infection imaging services to its ambulatory imaging centers in Texas and Colorado, citing demand for osteomyelitis and orthopedic infection diagnostics.
This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Nova one advisor, Inc. has segmented the global U.S. infections imaging market.
Indication
By Region
Cross-segment Market Size and Analysis for Mentioned Segments
Additional Company Profiles
(Upto 5 With No Cost)
Additional Countries (Apart
From Mentioned Countries)
Country/Region-specific Report
Go To Market Strategy
Region Specific Market DynamicsRegion Level Market Share Import Export AnalysisProduction AnalysisOthers