Development and Validation of an Immersive Virtual Reality Simulator for X-Ray Operator Training
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29384/rbfm.2026.v20.19849001859Keywords:
ALARA, X-ray, hands-on training, medical education, radiation protection, virtual reality, simulatorsAbstract
Performing radiological examinations involves health risks related to ionizing radiation. Therefore, training for performing these examinations can be costly and has practical limitations. Additionally, the behavior of ionizing radiation in space, such as its propagation and limitation in the face of material barriers, is difficult to understand. In this sense, the work described here aims to develop and validate a simulator for radiological examinations using immersive virtual reality (VR), for use in the hands-on training of health professionals, aiming to mitigate radiation exposure during execution time, following the “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) principle. The project was developed by a multidisciplinary team, with experts in computer engineering and radiation protection. Software engineering practices were adopted through an iterative development process. The implementation of the system involved the application of the Unity 3D game engine, which has been adopted in similar projects. The validation of the simulation system was performed by experts, through the collection and analysis of qualitative data and semi-structured interviews. The current project cycle is addressing X-ray examinations and, based on the results obtained, the system may be expanded to include other types of examinations. Based on the literature and the knowledge of specialists, different scenarios were established for the simulator, including for pregnant patients and people with disabilities. The prototype has been evaluated by 10 medical students, with positive feedback on its usefulness and ease of use. The initial validation of the simulator made possible the next phase of the project, which includes an evaluation by users of the target audience, using the validated instrument known as the System Usability Score. A
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Copyright (c) 2026 Bruno Key Kawano, Fernando Barcellos Razuck, Gabriel Gonçalves, Ricardo Nakamura
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