Canada Nuclear Medicine Market Size, Share - Growth Analysis Report and Forecast Trends 2026-2030

Canada's nuclear medicine market encompasses diagnostic radioisotopes, therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, and the imaging equipment and services that deliver them to patients. The market was valued at around USD 0.287 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of roughly 9.04% through the end of the decade, reaching well over USD 0.6 billion by 2033 in most scenarios. The country is unusual in having end-to-end capabilities, from isotope production and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing to clinical imaging and emerging targeted radionuclide therapy.

• •Market value of approximately USD 0.287 billion in 2025 with a ~9.04% CAGR outlook
• •Canada is one of the world's largest exporters of medical isotopes, led by molybdenum-99 production at the Chalk River facility operated by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and previously by Nordion (now part of Sotera Health)
• •Public reimbursement through provincial and territorial health plans covers most clinically indicated nuclear medicine procedures

The primary growth drivers are the rising incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease, an aging population that requires more diagnostic imaging, and the rapid uptake of theranostics, which pairs diagnostic isotopes with therapeutic ones. Supply-side investment in new cyclotrons, expanded PET tracer production, and government support for domestic isotope security are also accelerating the market. Broader clinical adoption of Ga-68 and F-18 based tracers, alongside growing use of Lu-177 and actinium-225 therapies, is widening the addressable patient population.

• •Rising cancer and cardiovascular disease rates and a growing elderly demographic are increasing demand for SPECT and PET procedures
• •Theranostics and targeted radionuclide therapy are opening new indications, particularly in prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors
• •Federal and provincial investment in isotope self-sufficiency and new production infrastructure is strengthening supply reliability

The market is commonly segmented by modality (SPECT and PET), isotope type (Tc-99m, F-18, Ga-68, I-131, Lu-177, Y-90 and others), application (oncology, cardiology, neurology, thyroid and others), and end user (hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, and research institutes). SPECT diagnostics, particularly Tc-99m based studies, currently account for the largest share of procedure volume, while PET oncology imaging and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals are growing the fastest. Within Canada, Ontario and Quebec lead consumption due to their large hospital networks and proximity to major production and research hubs, with strong activity also in Alberta, British Columbia, and the Atlantic provinces.

• •SPECT remains the dominant modality by procedure volume, while PET and radiotherapeutics are the fastest-growing segments
• •Oncology is the leading and fastest-expanding application, followed by cardiology and neurology
• •Ontario and Quebec are the largest regional markets, supported by academic health centers and isotope-related infrastructure

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The most consequential trend is the shift from purely diagnostic nuclear medicine toward theranostics, where a diagnostic scan and a targeted therapy use matched isotopes. Digital detector technology, AI-assisted image reconstruction, and quantitative SPECT/PET are improving diagnostic accuracy and throughput, while new alpha-emitting therapies are moving through clinical trials and toward commercial use. Regulators such as Health Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission are updating frameworks to streamline approvals for novel radiopharmaceuticals, and long-term policy support for domestic isotope production is expected to keep Canada well-positioned in global supply.

• •Theranostics and targeted radionuclide therapy are shifting the market mix toward higher-value oncology products
• •AI-enabled image analysis, digital PET/CT and SPECT/CT, and novel alpha-emitter therapies (e.g., actinium-225) are key innovation vectors
• •Health Canada and CNSC modernization is expected to speed market entry for novel radiopharmaceuticals, supporting sustained double-digit growth in therapeutic segments through 2033