Histology Equipment Market

Histology Equipment Market Size

The global histology equipment market generated notable revenues in 2024 and is projected to grow at a notable CAGR during 2025 – 2034, driven by the increasing incidence of chronic diseases and the early diagnosis of cancer. As per CDC.gov., six out of ten Americans were reported to have at least one chronic disease, while four out of ten were living with two or more chronic conditions. Histology equipment is essential in clinical pathology where human or animal tissues can be analyzed to see structural abnormalities in the tissues. There is a huge increase of awareness of an early diagnosis of chronic diseases and improvements in imaging and staining technologies which have greatly contributed to the demand for histology equipment.

Additionally, the increase in the global population of elderly people is causing an increase in age-related diseases, needing more diagnostic interventions. The global healthcare systems are focusing on Precision diagnostics. Pathology labs are following suit and using automated and semi-automated equipment to improve productivity and lessen error rates and pressure on manual interventions in the workflow for faster diagnostic testing.

The investment of government infrastructure funds to support public health in diagnostics is highly contributing to the growth of the global histology equipment market. Histopathology laboratory departments are modernizing into a more fully automated service, the demand for histology equipment such as microtomes, cryostats, tissue processors, and staining systems is anticipated to grow steadily through the forecast period.

 Histological testing is the baseline in diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer. The use of appropriate equipment is vital if these procedures are to be performed properly. The emergence of digital pathology, artificial intelligence imaging, and lab information systems (LIS) has transformed histology labs and led to new types of equipment in histological testing. However, there are some market constraints.

The capital costs of histology equipment as well as the difficulties of the modern equipment mixed with historical laboratory practices can provide barriers to success for small histology labs and diagnostic centres, especially in developing economies. Lastly, the lack of skilled pathologists and histotechnologists in many countries is still a limiting factor in the implementation of highly specialized instruments that need trained operators.

Histology Equipment Market Trends

Several important trends are driving change in the histology equipment industry. Firstly, automation and digital pathology tools enabling high throughput and more accurate workflows are also converging to create the existence of histopathology labs utilizing a range of slide scanners, AI-enabled software, and automated, optimized staining and processing systems. The injection of these tools aims to lessen human error, enhance the reproducibility of results, and improve the potential and reliability of the identification of cancers and chronic diseases.  

Secondly, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and advancements in machine learning for histological analysis will begin to help pathologists utilize models that identify complex patterns from tissue-dependent histomorphological characteristics to improve accuracy and expedite tests. Personalized medicine approaches and biomarker testing continue to push labs to integrate more advanced histology tools into their practice to support the molecular diagnostics system needed to meet the demand.

Finally, the increased demand for point-of-care diagnostics and the value of lab decentralized options (aggravated with the realities of the post-pandemic COVID-19 environment) will have a potential impact on the market as compact, portable histology equipment for outpatient and other free-standing clinics will be a need. Additionally, increased investments in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and development should contribute to increasing demand and visibility for histology instruments in drug development and preclinical research. Sustainability should be conserved, with a positive trend manifested and followed by manufacturers focusing on environmentally friendly reagents and energy-efficient instruments to support sustainable operations.

Histology Equipment Market Analysis

The slide-staining systems segment held a dominant share in 2024. Slide staining systems are necessary when preparing tissue specimens for microscopic evaluation, and they greatly enhance the staining solution that assists in visualizing both cellular structure deficiencies. With the increasing diagnostic burden, laboratories are moving away from traditional manual staining and are implementing automated and semi-automated staining systems that provide consistency, speed, and scalability.

This will be especially important for oncologists working with diagnostic labs who rely on timely staining of the tissue sample for developing a treatment plan. In recent years, advancements in immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ, hybridization (ISH) have also created new opportunities for slide staining systems. IHC and ISH require carefully programmed and precise staining instruments to provide sensitivity and specificity in the detection of biomarkers and genetic alterations. Additionally, slide staining systems with programmable protocols, digital interfacing, and the ability to use multiple reagents are increasingly being utilized and accepted for IHC and ISH procedures.

Many of these centers regularly process hundreds of tests per day, maintaining maximum efficiency during the specimen identification and staining process. Increasing access to training programs and lab personnel awareness programs has paved the way for many individuals to transition from manual to automated systems, and both laboratory and clinician awareness of automation continues to increase.

The diagnostic centers segment in the histology equipment market held a notable share in 2024. Diagnostic centers provide critical histopathological analysis for hospitals, clinics, and outpatient facilities that have no internal pathology lab. Diagnostic centers rely heavily on advanced histology tools to process and interpret tissue biopsies, especially for cancer types, gastrointestinal diseases, and autoimmune diseases.  The increasing demand for timely and accurate diagnostics has seen diagnostic centers increase their equipment portfolios to include automated microtomes, tissue processors, embedding stations, and slide-staining systems.

Integration with LIS, together with Digital Pathology platforms, allows for more efficient turnaround times and reporting improvement. In addition, diagnostic centers have a high throughput of sample equipment that allows batch processing and continuous operation is very desirable.  Emerging economies are experiencing a significant capital infusion into their diagnostic infrastructure including a combination of public-private partnership investments and foreign direct investment, accessing histological diagnostics in under-served areas such as oncology and infectious diseases.

North America histology equipment market generated notable revenue in 2024 and is expected to grow significantly through 2034. North America commands the largest share of the histology equipment industry because of its strong healthcare infrastructure, high degree of diagnostic awareness, and investment in pathology R&D. The United States holds the largest market share due to worsening cancer incident rates and rising rates of advanced reimbursement, and more widely accepted technology of diagnostic testing. This contributes to more use in diagnostic testing, alongside some regulatory approvals for the use of AI-based diagnostic devices. In addition to workstation technologies, North American labs are increasing laboratory automation and process efficiency. The region has greatly increased interest in integrated histology systems.

Histology Equipment Market Share

Major key players in the histology equipment industry include:

• Ted Pella Inc.
• Intelsint Srl
• Sakura Finetek
• Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Biocare Medical LLC.
• Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH
• Agilent Technologies Inc.
• Merck KGaA
• BioGenex
• F. Hoffman-La-Roche
  

Companies have committed significant capital into either mergers and acquisition opportunities, or into a new product pipeline, and into international diversification, to enhance their competitive position in the histology equipment market. Market leaders Danaher Corporation (Leica Biosystems), Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Sakura Finetek have diversified their portfolios from their original products, which included microscopes, into AI-powered digital pathology platforms and next-generation staining platforms.

By creating partnerships with diagnostic centers, hospitals, and academic institutions, the manufacturers were able to validate their technology and facilitate market adoption. Several companies found ways to find growth in emerging markets becoming more price-sensitive while also producing smaller equipment due to demand requirements.

Histology Equipment Industry News

• In September 2024, Vieworks introduced the Luceon 510 scanner as part of the digital pathology portfolio. This scanner featured a distinctive three-camera design and supported four separate imaging modes, specifically designed to handle different applications such as histopathology and cytology slides.
  
• In March 2023, Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital launched the histopathology laboratory along with a 128 Slice CT Scanner. These additions enhanced the ability to detect, diagnose, and treat patients more efficiently, while also saving valuable time.