Since the 1990s, COCIR has been monitoring the age profile of the main medical imaging product modalities installed in Europe.
An appropriate mix in the age profile of installed equipment is essential for efficient and productive healthcare systems.
This mix forms the basis for COCIR’s ‘Golden Rules’, drafted in 2003. These rules support evaluation of the medical equipment installed base and aid procurement processes. They take account of the to fully leverage the benefits of innovation against the obligation to derive the maximum value from capital investment.
The European Society of Radiology (ESR) has also recognised, in its 2014 position paper on renewal, the clinical importance of planning for timely equipment replacement.
COCIR latest report – which surveys the installed base at the end of 2025 – shows that the renewal of medical imaging equipment has yet to be tackled effectively. In addition, the broad disparities in equipment density seen between European countries have yet to be closed.
Equipment renewal and increased access to the latest technological advances represent the most effective way of delivering optimal outcomes to patients.
Planning for the renewal of ageing equipment should be a pressing target for European healthcare systems.
Related files