global Health Gainsโ Within Reach: Expandedโ Medicalโค Imaging โCould Prevent Millions of Deaths
A newโ analysis underscores the critical,life-savingโ potential of bolstering โmedical imaging capabilities worldwide,particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Improved access to tools like โฃX-rays, โขCT scans, and MRI could prevent 5.4 million deaths and saveโฃ 54.92โ million life-years over theโข next decade,according to research published in The Lancet Oncology4. The findings highlight aโ significant disparity in healthcareโ access andโ offer a clear pathwayโค to โคample global health improvements.
Non-communicableโฃ diseases – including cardiovascular disease,respiratory โขillnesses like COVID-19 and chronic obstructiveโค pulmonary disease,and cancer – are โขleading causes of death globally2.Cancerโค alone accounts for nearly one inโ six deaths worldwide, exceeding fatalities from HIV, malaria,โ and tuberculosis combined2. While โคthes diseases impact all nations, the burden of mortality disproportionatelyโค falls on โคLMICs2.Increasing โฃaccess to medical โimaging is recognized as essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment3, yet significant inequities persist.
The recent Lancet oncology Commission on Medical Imaging and โNuclear Medicine detailed the impact of imaging โคequipment, workforce, policies, and access โฃon patient outcomes globally4. Modeling suggests a โcomprehensive scale-up ofโ imaging, โtreatment, andโ care โขquality couldโข prevent 9.55 million deaths and save 232.3 million life-years globally, withโค a return of US$12.43โค for every โdollar invested4. These findingsโ reinforce the World health Organization’s recognition of medical imaging as โคa vital โcomponent of โhealthcare2,3 and demonstrate the potential for significant return on โinvestment in global โhealth initiatives.
4 Hricak, H. et al. Lancetโ Oncol. 22, e136-e172 (2021).
2 WHO. The Top 10 Causesโ of death https://go.nature.com/46EbPEP (7 August 2024).
3 WHO. Updated appendix โค3 of the WHO Global NCD Action Planโ 2013-2030 https://go.nature.com/4pR9wFL (accessed 17 August โค2025).