Medical imaging plays an increasing role in the accurate diagnosis and treatment of numerous medical conditions. The speed, accuracy and non-invasiveness of medical imaging has also contributed to a sharp increase in the number of imaging procedures.
In the US, the use of CT scans nearly tripled, from 52 scans per 1,000 patients to 149 scans per 1,000 patients between 1996 and 20101. According to the American College of Radiology (ACR), nearly 68 million CT scans are performed annually in the US today. Japan, the United States and Australia lead the world in number of CT scanners per head of the population, with 64, 26 and 18 scanners per million citizens respectively.2