AI-assisted health screening expands in Vietnam
AI-assisted full-body health screening is becoming more widely available in Vietnam, providing residents and overseas Vietnamese with access to preventive diagnostic services that were previously more commonly sought abroad.
In Vietnam, AI-based health screening is becoming more accessible as the network of Nura's preventive screening centers expands. Nura's AI-assisted full-body screening centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have conducted over 33,000 exams over the past two years, detecting more than 160 early-stage cancers in asymptomatic patients.
The AI system, developed in collaboration with Fujifilm and trained on over 400 million medical images, uses around 50 models to identify abnormalities like lung nodules, coronary artery disease, and liver lesions. Physicians review flagged areas before finalizing results and sharing them with patients.
For example, a 45-year-old man who underwent an AI-assisted scan had an abnormality identified as consistent with benign inflammation, leading to pneumonia treatment. Similarly, a woman in her forties was diagnosed with stage I lung adenocarcinoma after a scan detected a 10-mm lung nodule. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hai Anh emphasized that early detection of many cancers can lead to cure rates exceeding 90%, while delayed diagnosis often results in lower survival rates and higher treatment costs.
The AI-assisted screening services provide an option for overseas Vietnamese to access preventive healthcare closer to home. For instance, Vietnamese-Canadian Sarah Nguyen found it easier to get her ailing mother screened in Hanoi. Briton W. Charles also appreciated the ability to communicate directly with medical professionals about his health concerns without an interpreter.
Nura's ultra-low-dose CT protocol is designed to minimize radiation exposure while maintaining image quality through AI-assisted reconstruction. The FDA has cleared the company's system, and it is used across its 16 centers.
Screening packages start at around US$340 and include same-day English results and specialist consultations. More comprehensive packages include additional examinations such as brain MRI, gastroscopy, and colonoscopy. Compared to Japan's ningen-doku program, which costs between US$300 and over US$3,000, Nura's services offer more affordable and faster access to preventive healthcare.
The company's expansion from one clinic in Hanoi in 2024 to three centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as of mid-2026 aims to increase access to preventive screening in Vietnam, dependent on factors like healthcare infrastructure, insurance coverage, and public awareness.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
