Occupational health risks for ultrasound diagnostics specialists: A systematic review

Sonographers and other ultrasound practitioners are exposed to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), occupational stress and professional burnout, but evidence integrating physical, psychosocial and organizational factors is fragmented. We systematically reviewed the available evidence.

Systematic review following PRISMA 2020. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science (January 2015-February 2025) were searched, supplemented by citation tracking without date restriction. Quality was appraised with design-specific Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. A random-effects meta-analysis of proportions was planned; no pooled estimate is reported because of extreme heterogeneity.

Twenty-eight studies (2012-2025) were included. Four cohorts (N = 5103) reported the proportion of respondents with work-related musculoskeletal pain, discomfort or disability: 57.0%-87.3% (I² = 99.1%), reflecting different outcome definitions, recall periods and recruitment. Of 27 appraised studies, 17 (63.0%) were of high, 9 (33.3%) moderate and 1 (3.7%) low quality; one protocol could not be appraised. Over half of respondents reported moderate-to-severe personal and work-related burnout in one survey, and 76% self-reported occupational burnout in another. In one cross-sectional study (n = 127), burnout scores were 3.3 points higher with a WRMSD (P = 0.0077); this finding is preliminary.

Musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks among ultrasound practitioners are common and multifactorial, but reported proportions vary widely (57.0%-87.3%) and should not be read as the prevalence of a single standardized outcome.

Departments should monitor workload and scanning time, provide adjustable ergonomic equipment and scheduled breaks, and secure management and psychological support. These measures rest mainly on consensus guidance and observational data; controlled evaluations are needed.