What are the three primary controls a sonographer must adjust at all times?

The correct answer highlights three essential controls that a sonographer must consistently adjust to optimize ultrasound image quality: depth, focus, and gain.

Depth adjustment allows the sonographer to set the imaging field to adequately visualize the area of interest within the body, ensuring that structures are imaged at the correct depth without unnecessary clutter or loss of detail. This is crucial in multiple settings, whether it's for abdominal, pelvic, or vascular imaging, as different anatomical structures require different imaging depths for clear visualization.

Focus refers to the ability to optimize the sharpness and detail of the structures close to the focal zone. By adjusting the focus, the sonographer can enhance the image quality in areas of interest, improving diagnostic accuracy. A well-focussed image is vital for the assessment of structures and can help detect abnormalities more effectively.

Gain controls the overall brightness of the ultrasound image. Adjusting the gain is essential for ensuring that the structures being imaged are visible with the right contrast. If the gain is set too low, images may appear too dark, hiding critical diagnostic information, whereas overly high gain may wash out details, making interpretation difficult.

Together, these controls form the core adjustments that must be continuously tuned during scanning to ensure optimal imaging and interpretative clarity. This