Upgrade strategy for fixed C-arm interventional systems

The brief

• Understand current upgrade needs, challenges and replacement decision-making across the fixed C-arm lifecycle
• Assess awareness, perceptions and expectations of current and future upgrade offerings
• Evaluate the appeal, adoption potential and preferred commercial models for future upgrade concepts

The problem

No clear view of how customers value upgrades versus replacement, or which upgrade concepts would sell

Our approach

18 in-depth interviews across the US, UK and China with clinicians, cath lab and biomed decision-makers

• 18 in-depth interviews across the US, UK and China, six per market, April to June 2026
• Covered interventional cardiologists, interventional radiologists and oncologists, cath lab managers and biomed heads
• Tested three upgrade concepts on relevance and likelihood to adopt using a 1 to 10 rating
• Probed budget approval routes, service-contract bundling and preferred commercial models

Key outcomes

A ranked read on three upgrade concepts and a product, targeting, pricing and promotion roadmap

• Found C-arms run well past the 8 to 10 year window, with upgrades landing at 4 to 8 years before replacement takes over
• Ranked the three concepts on appeal, with the Lifecycle Portfolio leading on relevance and likelihood to adopt
• Showed budget, not conviction, is the blocker and that bundling with purchases or service contracts unlocks approvals