Intelligent Ultrasound: AI for Safer, Smarter Scanning

For over a decade IP Group backed Intelligent Ultrasound, a spin-out company from the University of Cardiff, and the company went on to produce revolutionary ultrasound training simulators and world leading clinical AI technology that has enabled faster and better ultrasound scanning around the world. 

Globally there are c. 50 million medical professionals, and it is estimated that less than 5% of these can perform an ultrasound scan.

Despite being one of the safest, fastest and cheapest diagnostic tools, it is a very difficult skill to learn and practice.

Spotting an opportunity to try and help not only the 5% of doctors and nurses that need to learn this skill, but to also train the remaining 95%, Intelligent Ultrasound (previously MedaPhor) was founded by Professor Nazar Amso at Cardiff University in 2004.

IP Group backed Intelligent Ultrasound in 2007, alongside support from Cardiff University, Cardiff Council, Finance Wales, Welsh Government and the local NHS Trust.

The Group provided the cornerstone finance for each private funding round, and then guided the company through IPO. Stuart Gall, one of the founders of Fusion IP (the company which made the original investment and which was acquired by IP Group) became full-time CEO on listing. 

“IP Group was fundamentally important to Intelligent Ultrasound’s journey because it didn’t just put money in, it put experienced people's time in,” said Stuart Gall.

In 2010 Intelligent Ultrasound launched ScanTrainer, its first ultrasound training simulator, which combined real ultrasound images with haptic feedback technology and a virtual tutor to guide and teach the key scanning skills in obstetrics and gynecology.

By 2016, the company had expanded its range of simulators, opened a direct sales office in the U.S. and was selling it’s simulators in over 30 countries around the world. 

In 2017 the Company decided to follow the clinician into the clinic and moved into clinical AI software with the acquisition of an AI image recognition software tool designed by Professor Alison Noble and Professor Aris Papageorghiou out of the University of Oxford. This unique Classroom to Clinic approach to ultrasound aimed to enable ‘ultrasound for all’ by making ultrasound easier to learn and simpler to use.

In 2019 the Company signed an exclusive agreement with global life science giant GE HealthCare which would ultimately install Intelligent Ultrasound’s unique fully integrated AI tool (SonoLystlive) onto all GE Voluson ultrasound machines, enabling faster and more accurate scanning during 20 week obstetric scans. This was cutting-edge AI technology from a UK company making a difference and improving healthcare around the world.

The company’s other notable AI products include the FDA cleared ScanNav Anatomy PNB, which simplified needling for anesthetists by providing them with real-time AI-based ultrasound guidance, and ScanNav Fetal Check which was used in the largest ever field trial on the use of aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia in Africa, funded by the Gates Foundation.

In 2024 the company sold its Clinical AI business to GE Healthcare for £40.5m, 34 times full year 2023 AI revenues and in 2025 the remaining company was acquired by Surgical Science Sweden AB, one of the world’s leading medical simulation companies.