Virtual reality tools to make abstract concepts tangible cover image

Virtual reality tools to make abstract concepts tangible

Mary Northum • September 30, 2025

virtual-reality

VR/MR can make abstract concepts tangible—positioning, room setup, radiation safety, and anatomy in spatial context. These tools cover radiography-specific practice, mixed-reality patient encounters, and immersive anatomy. Start with short, focused activities (≤10 minutes) and clear learning outcomes; always provide a non-VR alternative for accessibility.

medspace.XR radiography VR suite for positioning & imaging

Website: medspace.XR

medspace.XR provides a radiography-specific virtual room where learners practice patient positioning, collimation, exposure selection, and room setup using interactive equipment (tube, collimator, table/bucky, exposure control panel, image monitor). Instructors can create “standard” setups tailored to local practice, save them as protocols, and let students either work toward the protocol or explore off-protocol for experimentation/remediation. The system includes helpful views (e.g., skeleton/anatomy overlay, collimator measuring tape, multiple camera perspectives) that support landmark identification and alignment checks. Video tutorials and a user manual walk through equipment controls, patient entry, navigation, and full exam flows (e.g., PA scaphoid), making it practical to onboard faculty quickly. Typical adoption is institutional licensing; plan short (≤10-minute) scenarios with focused debriefs to maximize headset time.

Pros: Radiography-focused tasks, repeatable practice, instructor protocols.
Cons: Paid licensing and VR hardware/space logistics—schedule brief, scripted sessions for best ROI.

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Virtual Medical Coaching (Radiography VR) positioning & exposure practice

Website: Virtual Medical Coaching

Virtual Medical Coaching (VMC) provides radiography-specific VR modules where learners practice patient positioning, exposure selection, and safety in a simulated X-ray room. Scenarios give instant feedback on centering, collimation, and technique—helpful for deliberate practice and remediation. Instructor dashboards support assignment workflows and progress checks, which streamlines exam prep. Typical adoption is institutional licensing with demo access available for evaluation.

According to Virtual Medical Coaching, their "VR simulation has been proven to improve first-year student clinical assessment, especially in regards to patient positioning and exposure parameter selection."

For LMRT: Pair a VMC scenario with a short “why” debrief and a checklist, then follow up with an image critique in class. Instructors, you might just have a real life experience to relate this VR training to that will bring the lesson home to stay.

Pros: Radiography-focused, realistic task practice, immediate feedback.
Cons: Requires VR hardware and institutional budget; plan brief supervised sessions for new users.

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GIGXR (HoloPatient / HoloHuman) mixed-reality clinical & anatomy learning

Website: GigXR, HoloPatient

GIGXR delivers mixed-reality (MR) experiences like HoloPatient (clinical scenarios) and HoloHuman (layered anatomy) that run on head-mounted displays and selected mobile devices. Instructors can run multi-user sessions where learners gather around the same holographic patient or organ system—ideal for talking through positioning choices, safety steps, and SBAR communication. MR keeps the real room context, so students see spatial relationships (tube, bucky, patient, barriers) while discussing the case. Licensing is typically institutional with educator tools for session control and content sequencing.

Pros: Free, fast, visual; easy to pair with short checks.
Cons: Lower fidelity than clinical sims—use for conceptual grounding, not procedure practice.

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3D Organon VR anatomy with labels, layers, and pathologies

Website: 3D Organon

3D Organon provides immersive anatomy with labeled structures, layers, and motion—excellent for connecting positioning landmarks to underlying anatomy. Sessions can be guided by the instructor or self-paced, and many institutions use it on standalone headsets for quick anatomy refreshers.

For LMRT: Try a mini-sequence: landmark review in Organon → positioning practice (lab/VR) → low-stakes quiz. Licensing varies (individual, classroom, institution), with manuals and setup guides available.

Pros: Fast orientation to anatomy; clear labeling; supports repeated, short uses.
Cons: Not radiography-specific—pair with radiography tasks and checks to make the transfer explicit.

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SimX multi-user clinical scenarios in VR

Website: SimX, SimX Marketplace (case library)

SimX offers team-based VR clinical cases where learners assess, communicate, and act together—useful for LMRT when focusing on patient interaction, safety, and workflow. The library spans emergencies and routine care; instructors can run sessions, watch decisions, and debrief with built-in reports and logs. Institutions license access, and shared headsets in a lab can keep costs manageable.

For LMRT: pick a case that stresses radiation safety and communication, then add a short rubric for SBAR and positioning decisions.

Pros: teamwork practice, immersive context, structured debriefs.
Cons: requires VR gear and facilitator time; keep sessions short and focused with clear roles.

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