Basics of Scanning - How to Grip the Probe
1. Scanning the Front
When scanning the front of the body, the most convenient way to grip the probe is per the way one holds a pen. However, to maintain stability, I highly recommend resting the heel of the palm on the subject to serve as an anchor so that you may perform fine probe maneuvers. (With gel application, the probe becomes slippery and even what you perceive as small angle changes will yield major changes in the image.)
When scanning the front of the body, the most convenient way to grip the probe is per the way one holds a pen. However, to maintain stability, I highly recommend resting the heel of the palm on the subject to serve as an anchor so that you may perform fine probe maneuvers. (With gel application, the probe becomes slippery and even what you perceive as small angle changes will yield major changes in the image.)
2. Scanning the Ipsilateral Aspect
An underhand grip usually provides you with the most stability. The trade off is that if you need to slide the probe dorsally, your hand will be in the of the probe. If that is the case, you may need to covert to an overhand grip. (eg. Usually, the underhand grip will not be an hindrance when evaluating for a right pleural effusion from the lateral aspect. However, you will find that you may need to convert to the overhand grip for renal PoCUS as they are very posterior organs.)
An underhand grip usually provides you with the most stability. The trade off is that if you need to slide the probe dorsally, your hand will be in the of the probe. If that is the case, you may need to covert to an overhand grip. (eg. Usually, the underhand grip will not be an hindrance when evaluating for a right pleural effusion from the lateral aspect. However, you will find that you may need to convert to the overhand grip for renal PoCUS as they are very posterior organs.)
3. Scanning the Contralateral Aspect
An overhand grip is ideal when you have to reach over the patient's body to scan.
An overhand grip is ideal when you have to reach over the patient's body to scan.
Take Home Messages:
- the principles to holding the probe:
- comfortable to grip
- able to maneuver in the 5 cardinal directions with ease
- the grip is stable and anchored to allow fine-tuning movements