India SPECT Market: Tier-2 Cities Signal the Next Growth Wave for India’s SPECT/CT Market
India’s hybrid imaging landscape is entering a pivotal expansion phase as the incidence of cancer and cardiac diseases rises beyond major metropolitan areas. National programs under Ayushman Bharat as well as Pradhan Mantri–Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and the expansion of state cancer institutes are pushing hospitals toward more reliable functional imaging. addresses this need by offering a cost-effective alternative in areas with limited PET access. This makes it particularly valuable in secondary cities preparing for larger oncology and cardiology caseloads.
As per Hospital Intel Suite (HiS), India exhibits a distribution pattern shaped by both capacity and limitation. South and West India accounts for a far larger share of the country’s SPECT/CT footprint than the East, Central, and Northeast combined. Private hospitals operate a significantly greater portion of hybrid systems than public centers, reinforcing the dominance of dominance of oncology networks in metropolitan cities. Nearly all installations sit within tertiary hospitals, while secondary facilities contribute only a marginal presence. This configuration creates long referral chains from tier-2 and tier-3 districts into major cities, highlighting where future access must expand as regional hospitals scale their cancer as well as cardiac care services.
Growing momentum in tier-2 cities is reshaping India’s nuclear medicine market. Hospitals in Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore, and Visakhapatnam are increasingly prioritizing hybrid imaging solutions that offer strong diagnostic capability while maintaining manageable isotope logistics. Demand focuses on mid-range SPECT/CT systems, structured vendor training, and reliable service support. Radiopharmacy partnerships and workflow integration are becoming essential as hospitals handle higher complexity with limited metro-level staffing. Vendors offering equipment, radiotracer access planning, uptime guarantees, and AI-enabled quantification will be best positioned to drive India’s nuclear medicine expansion and strengthen presence in emerging regional hubs.