PUBLISHER: AnalystView Market Insights | PRODUCT CODE: 1944464
PUBLISHER: AnalystView Market Insights | PRODUCT CODE: 1944464
Preclinical Imaging Market size was valued at US$ 995.98 Million in 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 5.54% from 2025 to 2032.
The preclinical imaging market includes the equipment, imaging agents, and software used to study diseases and drug effects in live animal models before human trials. These tools are important in early research because they allow repeated, non-invasive tracking of tumors, organs, or biological activity over time, which supports faster and more confident decisions in drug discovery. Common imaging options include micro-CT and micro-MRI for detailed anatomy, PET and SPECT for functional or molecular signals, and optical imaging for quick screening using fluorescent or bioluminescent probes, with many labs combining more than one method to improve study quality. Demand is linked to areas like oncology, neurology, and infectious disease research, plus the growth of biologics and advanced therapies that need better in vivo proof of mechanism and biodistribution.
For buyers such as pharma companies, CROs, and research institutes, the main focus is usually on image quality, sensitivity, workflow speed, software for quantification and reporting, compatibility with probes and tracers, service support, and the overall cost of running the system over its lifetime. This market matters because better preclinical imaging can reduce uncertainty earlier in development and help avoid expensive failures later in the pipeline.
Preclinical Imaging Market- Market Dynamics
Strong government-funded biomedical research and a large clinical pipeline are increasing the need for preclinical imaging data
Preclinical imaging demand is rising because more biomedical research funding and a large flow of drug programs require solid in vivo evidence before expensive clinical steps, especially for oncology, neuroscience, and advanced therapies, where biodistribution and response monitoring are critical. According to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), total U.S. research and development spending reached about USD 892 billion in 2022, showing the overall scale of R&D activity that supports labs, CRO work, and equipment purchasing. In health-focused research, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NIH budget authority was around USD 47.5 billion in FY2023 and about USD 48.0 billion in FY2024, which supports a large number of preclinical studies that often rely on small-animal imaging for longitudinal readouts. The size of the clinical development funnel also signals ongoing preclinical demand; According to ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the registry listed more than 500,000 studies during 2024-2025, indicating a broad pipeline where many programs need imaging-backed proof-of-concept, target engagement, and safety support before moving forward. These public indicators point to a practical buying driver in the market: stable funding and steady pipeline activity create ongoing need for imaging systems, probes, and software that can deliver repeatable results, faster study timelines, and clearer go/no-go decisions.
Preclinical imaging demand is closely tied to how busy the drug development pipeline is and how much public research funding is available, because higher activity creates more animal studies that need measurable in vivo results. A simple way to see the pipeline scale is through trial registration volume; according to ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the database listed more than 500,000 studies during 2024-2025, which signals steady global development work that usually requires stronger preclinical packages before moving forward. Funding also supports the same trend at the research level; according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NIH budget authority was about USD 47.5 billion in FY2023 and around USD 48.0 billion in FY2024, keeping a large base of oncology, neurology, and infectious disease research active, where small-animal imaging is often used for longitudinal tracking and treatment response measurement. In Europe, broad R&D intensity has also been maintained; according to Eurostat, EU gross domestic expenditure on R&D stayed above 2% of GDP in 2022-2023, which supports continued equipment demand from universities and research institutes.
Technology needs inside studies also shape buying decisions, especially when a study requires both structural detail and functional or molecular readouts, which pushes more combined imaging workflows and more demand for analysis software. Tracer-based work depends on nuclear medicine capacity and isotope supply, which connects preclinical PET/SPECT activity with wider nuclear medicine infrastructure. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear medicine capability expanded across member states through the early 2020s, supported by reported growth in installed imaging systems and related infrastructure, which helps build the ecosystem needed for molecular imaging workflows. Alongside this, stronger expectations around consistency and documentation in research programs are increasing demand for systems that can deliver repeatable scans, higher uptime, and standardized reporting, especially in CRO-style environments where throughput and data comparability across studies matter.
Preclinical Imaging Market- Geographical Insights
Preclinical imaging activity is usually strongest in regions with high biomedical R&D spending, large university and hospital research networks, and steady drug development pipelines, which keeps demand consistent for imaging systems, probes, and analysis software. North America remains important because public research budgets are large and stable; according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NIH budget authority was about USD 47.5 billion in FY2023 and about USD 48.0 billion in FY2024, supporting many imaging-heavy programs in cancer, neuroscience, and infectious disease. Europe also shows sustained research intensity; according to Eurostat, EU gross domestic expenditure on R&D stayed above 2% of GDP in 2022-2023, which supports continued equipment purchasing and facility upgrades in academic and government research institutes. Pipeline scale is another indicator of ongoing demand; according to ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the registry listed more than 500,000 studies during 2024-2025, which signals a large development funnel that depends on preclinical evidence and translational biomarker work.
United States Preclinical Imaging Market- Country Insights
The United States is the strongest single-country market because the funding base for biomedical research is large, the number of active research organizations is high, and translational work is closely linked to pharma, biotech, and CRO activity. The most direct driver is public funding; according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), annual budget authority stayed near USD 48 billion in FY2024, which supports continuous demand for small-animal imaging platforms and related consumables. The broader research environment is also large; according to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), total U.S. spending on research and development reached about USD 892 billion in 2022, showing strong capacity for high-end instruments and specialized workflows. Drug development activity adds another demand layer; according to ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), registered studies exceeded 500,000 during 2024-2025, which aligns with ongoing needs for imaging-based proof-of-concept, biodistribution studies, and response monitoring before clinical commitments.
The preclinical imaging vendor landscape is usually discussed by modality strengths and workflow integration, because buyers tend to compare resolution, sensitivity, throughput, software quantification, and service support across platforms. Bruker Corporation is commonly referenced for preclinical MRI and micro-CT systems and integrated imaging workflows for research labs. Revvity, Inc. is frequently associated with optical imaging and reagent ecosystems used for fast in vivo screening and longitudinal monitoring. FUJIFILM VisualSonics Inc. is often linked to high-resolution preclinical ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging used in cardiovascular and oncology research. For nuclear imaging workflows, MILabs B.V. and Mediso Ltd. are typically cited for preclinical PET/SPECT systems and multi-modal configurations that support tracer-based studies. Larger imaging groups such as Siemens Healthineers AG, GE HealthCare Technologies Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., and Canon Medical Systems Corporation are also referenced in the space due to strengths in imaging technology and software that support translational collaborations. Public demand signals explain why competition stays active; according to NIH and according to ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the scale of research funding and the large pipeline of studies supports continued investment in higher-throughput systems, standardized analysis tools, and multi-modality imaging setups.
In October 2025, The START Center for Cancer Research, an oncology-focused clinical research organization, along with its preclinical division XenoSTART, and Minerva Imaging, a radiopharmaceutical CRO/CDMO specializing in molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy, expanded their long-running partnership to build an integrated platform for radiopharmaceutical drug development by combining clinically annotated patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with advanced imaging capabilities such as PET/CT, SPECT/CT, and MRI plus GMP manufacturing, aiming to shorten timelines and reduce development risk for oncology radiopharmaceutical programs.
In September 2025, Revvity, Inc., a provider of health science solutions and preclinical imaging tools, launched Living Image(TM) Synergy AI, a multimodal in vivo imaging analysis software platform designed to unify data analysis across optical, microCT, ultrasound, and other modalities; the software adds AI-based automation for tasks such as image segmentation and ROI quantification to reduce manual work, improve throughput, and enhance reproducibility, and it was scheduled to be showcased at the WMIC conference in late September 2025.
In September 2023, Revvity, Inc., a supplier of preclinical imaging systems and workflow solutions, expanded its imaging portfolio with the launch of the next-generation IVIS(R) Spectrum 2 and IVIS SpectrumCT 2 optical imaging systems, the Quantum(TM) GX3 microCT solution, and the global debut of the Vega(R) ultrasound system, targeting higher sensitivity, resolution, and faster throughput for in vivo and ex vivo preclinical research workflows and presenting the systems at the World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) in Prague.