Research Information System
TURK ONKOLOJI DERGISI-TURKISH JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY, 2023 (ESCI)
OBJECTIVEIn this study, we aimed to make dosimetric measurements of the vaginal speculum by producing the upper and lower tongue of the vaginal speculum from polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material and to test its usability in brachytherapy application.METHODSA modular structure of the metallic vaginal speculum, which we use in our routine practice, can be easily separated from the handle of the speculum, has been designed and produced with a 3D printer from PEEK material with a layer thickness of 200 mu. Dosimetric measurements of speculum tongue made of PEEK material were made using two different dosimetric methods (three different techniques as the treatment planning system ACUROS BV and TG43 algorithms, and the Radiochromic Film Dosimetry system [Gafchromic: EBT3]).RESULTSThe values obtained by all three methods were correlated with each other and the speculum did not affect negatively dose distribution in the dose-distance curves. The dose values obtained by using ACUROS BV and TG43 algorithms at the Dwell position and the dose values obtained in the Gafchromic dosimetry measurements made at these points were found to be correlated with each other (ACUROS BV vs. TG43 p<0.001, ACUROS BV vs. EBT3 p=0.008, TG43 vs. EBT3 p=0.006).CONCLUSIONWhen all the measurement results were examined, it was seen that the values obtained were correlated with each other, and no negative effect of the speculum on the dose distribution was observed in the dose distance curves.