The Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz - Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has developed a virtual reality (VR) application for medical radiation protection training.

The program visualizes the radiation as it is in real-world conditions in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory. The program shows the radiation distribution and the effects of the equipment used on the radiation dose to those present in the room. The application makes it possible to test and see the effects on the radiation on those in the room based on the location and the protective equipment (lead-aprons, lead gloves, etc.) that is selected.

Effects of different parameters on radiation dose

You can change technical parameters and see what it does to the radiation dose, without actually irradiating people. For example, you can change the distance between employees and the device, you can change frame speed and collimation diameter and so see the effect on radiation doses. What effect do employees’ hands have on the automatic exposure control (AEC)? Try the application and you can see the effects with your own eyes.

Two types of interventions have been programmed into the application, coronary angiography and carotid stenting. At the end of each use, a summary of the dose values for the patient and the user is displayed.

See more about the application, and to download the program, at BFS website.

The virtual reality program was developed by Northdocks gmbH with BfS and can be downloaded for free and the use is free. It is necessary to have VR virtual glasses to use the program.

A presentation video of the program and what can be done with it can be seen on Northdock's YouTube channel.

Video from YouTube that showcases the functionality of the program: