Described is a system for generating simulated CT images. The system can include a CT image simulator, a phantom database, and a scanner database. The phantom database can include one or more virtual phantoms while the scanner database can include information about one or more CT scanners, including a subject CT scanner. The CT image simulator can use information about a subject patient, a virtual phantom, and scanner information about the subject CT scanner to generate a simulated CT image that closely simulates what an actual CT image would look like if performed on the subject patient using the subject CT scanner. The simulated CT image can be displayed on a display screen. Also described is a method of generating a simulated CT image and CT image simulator software that can be used to generate a simulated CT image.
