Diagnostic imaging services market seen reaching $134.5 billion by 2035

Market Research Future says the global diagnostic imaging services market will grow from $88.2 billion in 2026 to $134.5 billion by 2035, driven by aging populations, chronic disease, AI adoption and public hospital investment. The report points to faster growth in CT, imaging centers and Asia-Pacific as healthcare systems expand capacity and shift more scans to digital and outpatient settings.

Why it matters: - Diagnostic imaging demand is being pulled by structural healthcare needs, not discretionary spending, which makes the market more resilient through 2035. - The shift affects hospitals, outpatient centers, equipment vendors and AI software providers as imaging volumes, workflow automation and site-of-care changes reshape where scans are delivered. - Aging populations and chronic disease burdens are expected to keep scan volumes rising, especially for cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and cancer care.

What happened: - Market Research Future projected the global diagnostic imaging services market will rise from USD 88.20 billion in 2026 to USD 134.50 billion by 2035, a 4.80% CAGR. - The market base was estimated at USD 84.40 billion in 2025. - The report released its forecast on July 8, 2026. - The analysis points to aging demographics, AI integration and government hospital investment as the main growth engines. - The report also included a free sample request link: Request a free sample.

The details: - The World Health Organization projects the global population age 65 and older will rise to more than 1.6 billion by 2050, up from 761 million in 2021. - Medicare data shows adults over 75 receive 3.2 times more imaging procedures per capita than people ages 45 to 54. - The FDA cleared more than 950 AI-enabled medical device algorithms through 2024, and radiology accounted for more than 76% of those clearances. - AI tools are cutting radiologist interpretation time by 25% to 40% in CT and MRI workflows and improving critical-finding turnaround by 18% to 22%, the report said. - Early-adopter systems report AI-embedded CT platforms reduced average read times by 34% and improved detection sensitivity above 95% for pulmonary embolism, stroke and large-vessel occlusion. - The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expanded reimbursement coverage for advanced imaging modalities in 2024. - Asia-Pacific governments committed more than USD 18 billion in hospital infrastructure funding between 2023 and 2025. - China earmarked more than USD 12 billion for county-level hospital upgrades under its 14th Five-Year Plan, and India plans 12,000 imaging-equipped health and wellness centers under Ayushman Bharat. - The UK NHS committed GBP 2.3 billion to diagnostic imaging network expansion through 2025 and is creating 160 community diagnostic centers. - GE HealthCare’s AI-embedded CT rollout cut average read times by 34%, while Siemens Healthineers invested USD 1.2 billion in photon-counting CT development through 2025.

Between the lines: - The market is shifting from a hardware replacement cycle to a broader technology and infrastructure buildout. - AI is becoming a throughput tool as much as a diagnostic one, which could let imaging providers handle more scans without proportional staffing growth. - Public funding and reimbursement changes are steering scans away from hospitals and toward freestanding centers where costs are lower and margins can be higher. - The report implies that countries with weak imaging infrastructure and aging populations could see the fastest expansion if they can fund capacity.

What's next: - CT is expected to be the fastest-growing major modality at a 6.85% CAGR from 2026 to 2035. - Diagnostic imaging centers are forecast to be the fastest-growing end-user segment at 7.60% CAGR. - Asia-Pacific is projected to remain the fastest-growing region at 5.95% CAGR, led by China and India. - The report expects autonomous imaging workflows to advance toward commercialization by 2030, with AI potentially handling up to 40% of routine imaging reads. - Cloud-based picture archiving and communication systems are expected to keep expanding as providers seek lower IT costs and multi-site image sharing.

The bottom line: - Diagnostic imaging services are moving toward a larger, more automated and more outpatient-driven market, with AI and public investment set to shape the next decade of growth.