Samsung's new ultrasound system hopes to make every scan consistent
Samsung Healthcare this week launched a new ultrasound system designed to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.
The system, called R20, will ultimately integrate all of Samsung Electronics' artificial intelligence and semiconductor capabilities into the ultrasound platform, Tracy Bury, chief commercial officer and vice president of global growth initiatives at Samsung Healthcare, said in an interview at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting in Chicago on Tuesday.
The R20 system pairs Samsung's imaging hardware with improved beamforming software, which helps produce clearer, more consistent images, she said. It supports a wide range of imaging use cases such as abdominal, thyroid, musculoskeletal, vascular, breast, gynecology, and urology.
Bury noted that the product includes artificial intelligence tools for real-time ultrasound guidance, helping to standardize how exams are performed regardless of the user's experience level. Reducing this variability is critical because ultrasound quality is highly operator dependent.
“With X-rays, it's like taking a picture. Although the skill level of the photographer is different, they still get some kind of image. And with ultrasound, I compare it to a painted image. If you don't have the right skill level, no one even knows what they're looking at,” Burry explained.
She noted that greater consistency means more accurate diagnoses, fewer repeat scans, and potentially faster patient throughput.
She also highlighted R20’s artificial intelligence tools for diagnostic assistance. For example, the system can help users detect suspicious liver or breast lesions in real time during a scan.
This feature can help users of all experience levels identify suspicious findings during scans—which is especially important in the post-pandemic reality, as many experienced sonographers have retired and new users have entered the field.
Bury said one physician user described the system as a “game changer” and “a fundamentally different way of scanning.” She said this type of feedback is meaningful, especially in a field where ultrasound quality always relies heavily on individual skills.
If widely adopted, the R20 system's real-time guidance could improve ultrasound consistency at scale, illustrating how technology can complement, rather than replace, clinician judgment.
Photo: Sundry Photography, Getty Images
