• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.355-363
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• 2022

This study was to investigate the prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders in relation to general characteristic factors, living environment factors, and work environment factors for sonographer's. For the response questions, the guidelines for musculoskeletal burden work were used. For statistical analysis, SPSS 26.0 version was used. For the common body parts of the sonographer's who responded, the prevalence was investigated by dividing the group into a group with high pain or discomfort and a group with low pain or discomfort according to the degree to which they experienced symptoms during the past 12 months. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the variance inflation factor(VIF), odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. As a result, housework hours, examination history, regular physical activity, number of patient examinations per day, and sitting posture were investigated as variables for rate musculoskeletal disorders. The sonographer's occupational group was found to have a high prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders like various other occupational groups. Based on the results of this study, it is judged that musculoskeletal disorders can be reduced by recognizing musculoskeletal disorders and improving work environment factors.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.367-374
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to understand the infection prevention system and infection management perception of Ultrasound diagnostic room in medical institutions by sonographer's in general practitioner, semi and general hospitals. As a research method, a statistical analysis was conducted by surveying a total of 20 items in four category to determine the infection perception of sonographer's according to gender, age, working institution, and working period. As a result of infection awareness, males were in the ultrasound gel management category, women were in the transducer management category, all age groups were in the transducer management system category, and the General Practitioner, semi and general hospitals. were in the transducer management system category, and general hospitals showed a high degree of infection awareness in the category of disinfection and sterilization, and in the category of transducer management in the entire working period. In the results of the analysis of the correlation between the sub-factors of the perception of infection control in the Ultrasound diagnostic room the degree of correlation between each category showed a middle degree correlation(r>0.5) and a significant difference by category(p<.01). In conclusion, the prevention of infection in the ultrasound diagnostic room, which sonographer's firms think, was found to be the most efficient ultrasound diagnostic room infection control to implement transducer and gel management in accordance with the principles of disinfection and sterilization.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2007

We investigated the factors which influence the musculoskeletal symptoms in diagnostic medical sonographer. The Korean Society of Medical Sonographer conducted a survey through e-mail. Of the 400 subjects, 124 subjects responded(31%). The number of abdominal sonographer was 72(71.3%), obstetrics sonographer was 20(19.8%), echocardiographer was 9(8.9%) for effective 101 participant among themselves. According to the NIOSH diagnostic criteria, 86 subjects(85.1%) had musculoskeletal symptoms on their shoulders/neck, 73 subjects(72.3%) on their hands/wrists/arms/elbows, 44 subjects(43.6%) on their lower back. The factor of musculoskeletal symptoms were analyzed by the logistic regression analysis. The factors of symptoms for the hands/wrists/arms/ elbows were official autonomy, number of scans performed per week. The factors of symptoms for the shoulders/neck and the lower back were work break. However scan type were not observed as a significant factor. The study came to conclusion that many study subjects experienced musculoskeletal symptoms. These measures should be taken properly and promptly by the hospital's administrators.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.263-271
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between general characteristics, job stress and job satisfaction of 150 sonographer working in Busan and Ulsan area and to identify the predictors of job satisfaction. As a result, the higher the age, experienced job change, the more job satisfaction increased. The sub-factors of job stress and job satisfaction are significantly negative correlated with organizational system, lack of reward, occupational climate, job insecurity, insufficient job control, job demand. The most influential variables in job satisfaction were organizational system and lack of reward. Therefore in order to increase the job satisfaction of the sonographer, it is important to establish and institutional device related to effective organization, manpower management and compensation to reduce job stress.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2023

Echocardiography is a non-invasive method that is useful for diagnosing pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is known that echocardiography depends on the experience, education, and knowledge level of the cardiac sonographer. This study aimed to compare the agreement values between cardiac sonographer with different practical experiences in the diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension using echocardiography. Three readers re-evaluated the echocardiography images of 148 patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension at the S Medical Center from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. The echocardiography values measured by each reader were compared and analyzed. The results of the analysis of discrete variables revealed that the agreement values of the cardiac sonographers showed excellent consistency for both reader 3 and the cardiologist group, indicating that more experience leads to better predictive accuracy for diagnosis of the condition. Furthermore, in terms of continuous variables, all the cardiac sonographer demonstrated good agreement in the measured values of the right atrium, which was easier to assess and clearer than the structurally complex measurements of the right ventricle. This study represents the first analysis in Korea of the agreement values measured by medical technologists who are cardiac sonographers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.857-864
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• 2019

Many countries, including Canada, operate a sonographer license system separately from a radiological technologist license. However, in Korea, radiological technologists perform ultrasound imaging under the guidance of doctors. Therefore, in order to have the opportunity to provide a systematic education by analyzing the job competency of the radiological technologist's ultrasound imaging, based on the Canadian National Competency Profile (NCP) lists, this study measured the job content validity of the job competences and detailed competencies required for performing ultrasonography in Korea. From the results of comparing and analyzing the importance of the core competencies included in the Korean radiological technologist's job competencies and the degree of job performance, the average overall importance was 4.087, the average of overall performance was 3.640, showing that the importance was higher than the performance and that there was a statistically significant difference. In conclusion, 'A Communication', 'B Professional responsibilities', 'D Operation of equipment' and 'G Workplace health and safety' showed high job content validity. However, it is said that as 'C Patient assessment and care', 'E Critical thinking and problem solving', and 'H Image' showed low job content validity, it is necessary to seek ways to strengthen and complement these competencies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.481-490
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• 2021

There is no qualification system for sonographers in Korea. But the MEDICAL SERVICE TECHNOLOGISTS, ETC. ACT stipulates that radiological technologists can handle ultrasound equipment. However, there is controversy about the scope of the work allowed for radiological technologists to perform ultrasound examinations. Accordingly, the authoritative interpretation of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea, the adjudication of administrative judgment, and the judgment of the courts were analyzed. As a result, the authoritative interpretation expresses that when a radiological technologist performs an ultrasound examination, a diagnosis and specific guidance should be made in real time while the doctor simultaneously watches the radiological technologist's images. In the adjudication of administrative judgment, it was decided that the handling of ultrasound-related equipment was the work of the radiological technologist. The court ruled that it was illegal for a radiological technologist to make a medical judgment on ultrasound examination. In the United States, Canada, etc., the sonographer independently conducts ultrasound examination according to the doctor's prescription, prepares a summary of what they saw and this is passed on to the doctor. Therefore, in Korea, there is a need for institutional improvement so that radiological technologists can perform ultrasound examinations according to doctors' prescriptions without real-time guidance.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic and job characteristics and job satisfaction of sonographers (SONO) and radiological technologists (RT). The subjects were a total of 148 people (69 SONO, 79 RT), who had been working in clinical and hospitals. The method was conducted using a questionnaire with a total of 54 questions consisting of demographic characteristics, job characteristics, and job satisfaction. Reliability was secured with Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.6 or higher for the response of the questionnaire. For statistical analysis, descriptive statistics, cross-analysis, independent sample T-test, and correlation analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's correlation coefficient were performed for each occupation. As a result, first, the SONO had more female workers than RT. They are more than three times as many in graduate school and above. Second, the SONO had 4.5 times more morning shift than the RT and no form of weekend shift. Third, the average monthly salary of the SONO is higher than that of the RT, but when a certain portion of the salary goes up, the salary no longer goes up. Fourth, satisfaction with expectations, growth desire, positive mentality, growth opportunity, job importance, organizational attachment was higher SONO than the RT, but self-efficacy was higher in RT than SONO. Last, SONO had higher educational background than RT. It is hoped that the results of this study will be able to understand the job characteristics of SONO and RT and identify the factors of job satisfaction and provide them as fundamental materials for job selection.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.485-491
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to improve the job satisfaction of sonograpers by analyzing the factors affecting professional self-concept and job satisfaction. For data collection, total 141 sonographers working in Busan took part in the structured questionnaire survey. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS. For verification of the professional self-concept and job satisfaction, independent t-test and one way ANOVA were executed. When the statistical significance was verified, Sheffe was used for post hoc test. As a result, professional self-concept and job satisfaction were higher when got married, and also when a proper salary was paid according to work experience and professional qualification was acquired. In addition, the factors that have the greatest effect on the job satisfaction were analyzed as professional self concept. In conclusion, in order to improve the job satisfaction of sonographers, it is necessary not only to establish a professional qualification system for the job skill development but also to provide an appropriate compensation system according to work experience.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.57-65
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• 2008

Setting parameters of Ultrasonic scanners influence the quality of ultrasonic images. In order to obtain optimized images sonographers need to understand the effects of the setting parameters on ultrasonic images. The present study considered typical four parameters including TGC (Time Gain Control), Gain, Frequency, DR (Dynamic Range). LCS (low contrast sensitivity) was chosen to quantitatively compare the quality of the images. In the present experiment LCS targets of a standard ultrasonic test phantom (539, ATS, USA) were imaged using a clinical ultrasonic scanner (SA-9000 PRIME, Medison, Korea). Altering the settings in the parameters of the ultrasonic scanner, 6 LCS target images (+15 dB, +6 dB, +3 dB, -3 dB, -6 dB, -15 dB) to each setting were obtained, and their LCS values were calculated. The results show that the mean pixel value (LCS) is the highest at the max setting in TGC, mid to max in gain and pen mode in frequency and 40-66 dB in DR. Among all images, the image being the highest in LCS was obtained at the setting of DR 40 dB. It is expected that the results will be of use in setting the parameters when ultrasonically examining masses often clinically found In either solid lesions (similar to +15, +6, +3 dB targets) or cystic lesions (similar to -15, -6, -3 dB targets).