Effects of Work Experience, Patient Size, and Hand Preference on the Performance of Sonography Studies

Reports to clinic managers of sonographer work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially those linked to larger patient body sizes, are increasing annually. This study was conducted to determine if patient size, sonographer experience level, and hand preference affected image quality associated with ambidextrous scanning. Thirteen experienced and 11 novice sonographers performed right- and left-handed scans of target organs on three models (5th, 50th, and 95th percentile body weight). Estimated grip force was measured during each scan through the use of force matching with a digital dynamometer. Results revealed a significant (P