Spending in the U.K. on radiology equipment for the six-month period ending in March declined by approximately 30% compared with the same period a year ago, according to new data from the Association of Healthcare Technology Providers for Imaging, Radiotherapy and Care (AXREM).
The overall 30% drop in spending was similar for both National Health Service (NHS) hospitals as well as private healthcare providers, said AXREM Director Alan Birks. CT spending declined by 43% over the same period, while MRI spending was reduced by 30.6%, he said. AXREM's figures do not include spending on ultrasound systems.
Birks noted the continuing increase in the age of installed base of medical imaging equipment in the U.K. can only be addressed by investment in new systems.
"The latest technologies afford advances including reduced dose of ionizing radiation (x-rays), and improved visual and functional information aiding more definitive diagnosis and better patient outcomes," he said in a statement. "Continued use of older equipment potentially denies patients the benefits of the latest technological advances, and can also expose patients to unnecessary risk."
