Samsung Healthcare unveiled a new ultrasound system this week designed to spice up diagnostic accuracy and effectivity.
The system, named the R20, lastly brings the complete weight of Samsung Electronics’ AI and semiconductor capability into an ultrasound platform, mentioned Tracy Bury, chief industrial officer and vice chairman of world development initiatives at Samsung Healthcare throughout an interview Tuesday on the Radiological Society of North America’s annual convention in Chicago.
The R20 system pairs Samsung’s imaging {hardware} with improved beamforming software program, which helps produce sharper, extra constant pictures, she said. It helps a large spectrum of imaging use instances, resembling stomach, thyroid, musculoskeletal, vascular, breast, gynecology and urology.
The product contains AI instruments for real-time ultrasound steerage to assist standardize how exams are carried out, no matter a consumer’s expertise degree, Bury identified. Decreasing that variability is important as a result of ultrasound high quality is extremely operator-dependent.
“For an X-ray, it’s like taking an image. Whereas there’s completely different ability ranges of photographers, they might nonetheless get some type of a picture. Whereas with ultrasound, I examine it to portray a picture. When you don’t have the proper ability degree, nobody would possibly even know what they’re ,” Bury defined.
Larger consistency means extra correct diagnoses, fewer repeat scans — and probably sooner affected person throughput, she famous.
She additionally highlighted the R20’s AI instruments for diagnostic help. For instance, the system may also help customers detect suspicious liver or breast lesions reside throughout scanning.
This characteristic helps customers of all expertise ranges establish suspicious findings as they scan — which is especially essential in our post-pandemic actuality, by which many skilled sonographers have retired and newer customers have entered the sector.
One doctor consumer described the system as a “recreation changer” and “a essentially completely different approach to scan,” in line with Bury. She mentioned this sort of suggestions is significant, particularly in a area the place ultrasound high quality has at all times depended closely on particular person ability.
The R20 system’s real-time steerage may enhance ultrasound consistency at scale if it’s broadly adopted — which might illustrate how know-how can complement, fairly than substitute, a clinician’s judgment.
Photograph: Sundry Images, Getty Photographs
