RadSimTech FAQ: Your Guide to Virtual Radiography Simulation

RadSimTech is a comprehensive virtual radiography simulation platform designed to enhance radiography education through realistic, interactive learning experiences. It provides a safe, computer-based environment that mimics a real X-ray room, allowing radiography students to practice positioning patients, selecting exposure parameters, and producing X-ray images without any radiation risk or the need for physical equipment. This simulation-based approach supports both student learning and tutor instruction by enabling repeated practice and instant feedback – every X-ray projection taken in the simulator generates a unique digital radiograph immediately, so students can see the results of their actions and learn from mistakes in real time

RadSimTech offers a suite of specialised simulation modules, each targeting different aspects of radiographic training. The primary products in the lineup are ProjectionVR™, TomoVR™, LectureVR™, and TechnicVR™. Below is a breakdown of each product and its focus:

ProjectionVR™: A full-featured virtual X-ray room simulator for conventional projection radiography. This module creates a complete simulated X-ray suite (with an exam room and control console) on a standard computer. Students can practice common radiographic procedures – positioning patients for chest, extremity, or other exams, setting exposure factors, placing detectors, etc. – and produce radiographs as if in a real hospital room. For instructors, ProjectionVR is ideal for demonstrating procedures or supervising student practice without needing a physical X-ray lab. It’s used extensively by radiography programs to let students rehearse positioning and techniques under guided or self-directed sessions, whether in a campus computer lab or on their personal laptops at home. This tool is mainly aimed at radiography students learning positioning and technique, but it’s equally useful for educators to illustrate proper radiographic practice or evaluate student technique in a virtual setting.

TomoVR™: A specialised CT imaging simulator that provides a virtual CT scanner room and operator’s console for training. TomoVR is designed to give students hands-on experience with CT procedures – from patient positioning on the CT table to manipulating the gantry and adjusting scan parameters on the console. It is built on RadSimTech’s advanced platform to emulate a modern CT scanner’s behaviour, allowing learners to understand cross-sectional imaging concepts and gain confidence in operating complex CT equipment in a supported environment. This module is particularly useful for student radiographers or radiologic technologists who are beginning CT training, as well as for programs that want to introduce CT operation principles (like scout planning, slice selection, etc.) in the curriculum. Tutors can let students take their first steps in CT in a low-pressure setting before clinical rotation. In short, TomoVR caters to those learning or teaching Computed Tomography techniques, emphasising patient setup and console operation in a realistic simulator.

LectureVR™: An interactive teaching and presentation tool focused on radiographic images and critique. LectureVR is built for use in classrooms or lecture halls – it allows instructors to display model radiographs and then manipulate them in real time to demonstrate imaging concepts to large groups. For example, a tutor can show a perfect AP chest X-ray, then gradually introduce a rotation error or change the projection angle, so students see the image update live to illustrate the difference between an acceptable vs. unacceptable image. LectureVR includes features like real-time adjustment of positioning (SID, OID, angulation), beam energy and intensity changes, and even a pseudo 3D effect for bony anatomy, all with immediate image updates (almost like a fluoroscopic effect). It serves as an “animated radiograph” library – an almost inexhaustible supply of example images (since the software can synthesise images for any scenario needed) – which educators can use to teach image evaluation and technique optimisation. The intended users are educators and lecturers in radiography who want to enrich their lectures and workshops. By using LectureVR, students benefit from visual, dynamic demonstrations of concepts like the isocentric principle or how changes in exposure affect image receptor response, making lectures much more engaging and clear.

TechnicVR™: A radiographic technique and physics simulator that models the X-ray beam and exposure process in detail. TechnicVR is essentially a virtual X-ray generator and beam analyser – it lets users experiment with exposure factors (kVp, mA, exposure time, filtration, distance, etc.) and immediately see the effects on the X-ray beam quality, output, and even patient dose. It provides animated graphs and visuals of the X-ray spectrum and heat generation in the X-ray tube, helping to make abstract radiographic physics concepts concrete and visible. For example, an instructor can use TechnicVR to illustrate how increasing kVp shifts the X-ray spectrum or how using a smaller focal spot might affect heat load. The software calculates real dose metrics and can convert between dose units, supporting teaching about radiation safety and dose reduction (important topics highlighted by campaigns like Image Gently®). TechnicVR is often used by tutors during physics lectures or lab sessions to demonstrate principles that would otherwise require physical experiments or expensive equipment. Students can also use it to self-learn and answer “what-if” questions (e.g., “What if we increase filtration – how does the spectrum change?”) in a hands-on way. In summary, TechnicVR is geared toward both radiography educators and students, especially for understanding radiographic physics, exposure technique optimisation, and dose implications in a highly interactive simulation that complements theoretical lessons.

No, RadSimTech simulations do not require specialised hardware. They are designed to run on standard personal computers with the Windows operating system (Windows 7 or later). The key requirements include:

• Processor: A standard multi-core Intel or AMD CPU.
• RAM: At least 4 GB.
• Graphics Processor (GPU): A basic GPU with at least DirectX 9 support and 128 MB of video memory is sufficient. For optimal performance, a dedicated GPU supporting newer DirectX/OpenGL versions and at least 512 MB of VRAM is recommended.

Most modern PCs, including typical student laptops and computer lab PCs, will meet these requirements without issue. An external mouse with a scroll wheel is also recommended for easier navigation of the 3D simulation environment. This ensures that RadSimTech is accessible and does not require high-end or specialised equipment.

Yes, RadSimTech offers comprehensive technical support for all Shaderware products including ProjectionVR, TomoVR, LectureVR, and TechnicVR. Support includes assistance with installation, troubleshooting, and software usage, as well as compatibility checks and maintenance updates. RadSimTech honours existing Shaderware licenses, providing upgrade options at discounted rates and free minor updates.

Users can access support by contacting RadSimTech through email or their website’s support portal. The team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing satisfaction for all users of Shaderware products, whether they are long-standing customers or new to the RadSimTech family.