Quiet Uranalysis Market Sees Innovation

Feb. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information sees new developments in the otherwise quiet urinalysis market.   The healthcare market research publisher states that the world market for urinalysis systems is estimated over four hundred million dollars in 2010, and is being driven by new products and enhanced competition.

“The market statistics for urinalysis are a bit deceiving,” said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information.    The data show very little growth for the past few years, but innovation is constant.”

According to Kalorama, As a more rational use of technologist time becomes more pressing, urinalysis testing is becoming more and more automated.  Automation is also important to facilitate the electronic transfer of patient test results to the lab information system and eventually the patient record.  For this reason companies have invested in updating their urinalysis product line.

A number of innovations have appeared in recent years.   Urinalysis strip leaders Bayer and Roche have been converting most of their customers to automated systems that read the urine strip.  These systems use cell counting principles similar to that used in flow cytometry can be used for bacteria detection and for the enumeration of RBC, WBC, epithelial cells, hyaline casts, and other flagged parameters. Companies such as Iris International have commercialized instruments that automate the microscopy portion of testing and integrate it into a system that can perform urinalysis chemistry strips.  Sysmex, is employing flow cytometry for urinalysis. 77 Elektronika offers a slide-based automated microscopy analyzer that can be run as stand-alone or in combination with a urine chemistry system.   New to urinalysis are closed urine collection systems, such as Beckton Dickinson’s Vacutainer Urine Collection System.  Urine is collected in cups and upon arrival at the lab, the specimen is transferred to a tube for testing.  Closed sampling system eliminates the necessity of transferring specimens from the collection cup in the lab and makes the sample available for automated transfer to urinalysis systems marketed by companies such as IRIS International, Siemens and Sysmex.

More information on all areas of in vitro diagnostics can be obtained from Kalorama Information in its full market research study on the IVD industry, The Worldwide Market for In Vitro Diagnostics, now in it's seventh edition, at http://www.kaloramainformation.com/pre-pub-Worldwide-2613...