The medical imaging technology industry supports an estimated 12,124 jobs and generates about $3.1 billion in total economic activity in the state of Washington, according to a recent economic impact analysis commissioned by the Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA).

"We knew [Washington] was a hub of the technology industry related to ultrasound and the innovations that happened over the past several years — it's been really exciting," Brian Connell, director of government relations at MITA, told DOTmed News. "We knew that anecdotally, but we really wanted to look harder and more deeply at exactly what that meant for the state of Washington economically."

There are 37 major medical imaging technology companies in Washington. The researchers looked at the activities performed at the company sites and the use of the equipment at more than 730 hospitals, urgent care facilities and other major medical clinics and offices in the state and found that it created 4,520 full-time jobs.

Additionally, the suppliers as well as other companies related to the industry created an extra 7,600 full-time jobs. The jobs included hospital technicians, assembly workers, metal and glass suppliers, accountants, administrators and retail workers.

The analysis also showed that those jobs were paid an estimated total of $961.7 million in wages and benefits.

When it comes to the economy, they found that the production of medical imaging technology and its use in medical facilities generated $1.8 billion in direct economic activity. The industry's suppliers and employees added an extra $1.3 billion to Washington's economy.

Furthermore, the taxes that the medical imaging technology companies and their suppliers and employees paid, supplied the federal, state and local government with $428 million in revenue.

The researchers were surprised with what they found. "We were surprised about how broad the effect is across the state of Washington," said Connell. "Not just in the Seattle area but really across all the congressional districts in that whole western part of the state — there really is a broad reach to this industry."

They were also surprised at how the medical imaging technology industry compares with other industries in the state. They found that the economic output of the medical imaging industry is about the same size as the output from the entire state's fruit industry.

"When people think of Washington, they think of apples and cherries and that's certainly something that people are proud of and understand that it's an important part of their state's economy," said Connell. "I think we were a little a bit surprised that we were as big a part of the economy as apples and cherries."

They don't have any solid plans yet but going forward they hope to analyze the impact of the medical imaging technology industry on other states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and California.

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