Comparison of fluence rate distributions made by side-firing fibers in an optical phantom

Side-firing fibers are used to provide coagulative therapy to the urologic tract. These fibers use different optical technologies to deflect the beam transverse to the fibers' optical axis. This produces emitted beams which d iffer in both beam direction and divergence angles. The relative optical pe rformance of 13 fibers was studied in an optical phantom suspension. The fl uence rate distribution created by each side-firing fiber was determined. T he fluence rate distribution accounts for both the direct and spurious beam s emitted from side-firing fibers as well as the light scattering produced by the target tissue. Based upon limited clinical dosimetry studies, the re lative fluence rate distribution appears to indicate general exposure condi tions for the evaluated fibers. (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumen tation Engineers. [S1083-3668(99)00103-3].