Korea-based Samsung Medison has signed an agreement to acquire French startup and fetal ultrasound AI software developer Sonio.
Sonio will remain an independent company headquartered in France, according to Samsung Medison, and will continue its commercial growth independently while its products and services will remain compatible with all ultrasound device makers. The company's flagship product, Sonio Detect, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for analysis of prenatal ultrasound exams in August 2023.
Established in 2020, Sonio also announced in August 2023 that it had raised $14 million in series A funding to advance its ultrasound reporting software to accelerate research and development for image recognition and genomics, as well as to adapt the technology for portable ultrasound devices and point of care. The series A funding round was led by Cross Border Impact Ventures after an initial commitment from the European Innovation Council, according to a statement on the Sonio.ai website.
Samsung Medison's acquisition of Sonio is subject to regulatory approvals, including from the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
