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 vp of worldwide 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 photographs, she acknowledged. It helps a large spectrum of imaging use circumstances, similar to stomach, thyroid, musculoskeletal, vascular, breast, gynecology and urology.
The product contains AI instruments for real-time ultrasound steering 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 totally different talent ranges of photographers, they might nonetheless get some type of a picture. Whereas with ultrasound, I examine it to portray a picture. In the event you don’t have the appropriate talent degree, nobody may even know what they’re ,” Bury defined.
Better consistency means extra correct diagnoses, fewer repeat scans — and probably quicker affected person throughput, she famous.
She additionally highlighted the R20’s AI instruments for diagnostic help. For instance, the system will help customers detect suspicious liver or breast lesions stay 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 sphere.
One doctor consumer described the system as a “sport changer” and “a essentially totally different approach to scan,” in line with Bury. She mentioned this sort of suggestions is significant, particularly in a discipline the place ultrasound high quality has at all times depended closely on particular person talent.
The R20 system’s real-time steering may enhance ultrasound consistency at scale if it’s extensively adopted — which might illustrate how expertise can complement, relatively than change, a clinician’s judgment.
Picture: Sundry Pictures, Getty Photos
