GE Healthcare India has launched an iPod-like ultrasound technology tool — Vscan — for point-of-care imaging. The product is priced at about Rs 6 lakh and is part of the healthyimagination initiative that committed $6 billion to enable better health focusing on cost, access and quality.

V Raja, president and CEO, GE Healthcare, South Asia said, "Vscan may become as critical as a stethoscope to a physician in helping to detect disease quickly. Vscan will reduce the need for more tests and referrals during physical examinations and will make healthcare more accessible to people in India."

According to Mumbai-based consultants Bharat Book Bureau, in 2008 the ultrasound market in India was valued at $108 million. It is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 per cent over seven years to reach $250 million in 2015. During the period, the market is expected to be driven by a rapidly developing healthcare infrastructure in rural India.

Healthcare industry experts say that the portability of imaging devices and the capability to transfer images using the internet is well suited for a country like India as it does not have enough infrastructure and/or manpower to provide care to the population living in rural areas.

P C Reddy, executive chairman of Apollo Hospitals said, “To make rapid diagnosis, especially critical, in life threatening situations we need to take a look inside the body. A tool like Vscan can help facilitate detection of diseases at an earlier stage.”

The product, which is yet to get healthymagination certification, can be purchased only by hospitals and practitioners who are registered with PNDT authorities and have license to use ultrasound imaging devices.

Meanwhile, GE is targeting to increase the share of product sales in India. Of the products manufactured now in the country, the firm currently sells 10 per cent in the domestic market. The company targets to increase this to 25 per cent in three years and to 50 percent in five years.