BackTable Vascular & Interventional Ep. 620 Ergonomic Strategies for Radiologists: Preventing Back & Neck Pain with Dr. Keith Horton
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Feb 27, 2026 Dr. Keith Horton, interventional radiologist and ergonomics expert at Georgetown/MedStar Health, shares decades of experience improving lab setup and preventing musculoskeletal injury. He spotlights monitor and ultrasound placement, neutral posture and table height, lead fit and zero-gravity alternatives, microbreaks, and emerging tech like AR and robotics. Practical setup fixes for longer, complex procedures are emphasized.
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Ergonomics Is Intentional Room Design
- Ergonomics means arranging the angio suite so tasks follow natural body motions and avoid strain.
- Keith Horton notes labs are often poorly designed so clinicians must optimize positioning, gear, and workflow intentionally.
Procedure Complexity Raised Ergonomic Risk
- Expanding IR procedures (longer, more intricate cases and MSK work) increases ergonomic risk beyond classic femoral work.
- Horton notes new tasks like needle angulation under eyes and reaching around large C-arms create novel strain patterns.
Place Monitors At Eye Level And Set Table At Elbows
- Position monitors directly in front of you about 8–15 degrees below eye level and keep your elbows near neutral.
- Horton advises table height at elbow level and adjusting for different operator heights to avoid neck and shoulder strain.