Experimental and clinical studies on dose reduction effects of spacers in interstitial brachytherapy for carcinoma of the mobile tongue.

The difference of radiation dose reduction effect with spacers of different materials, a heat-curing denture base resin and a silicon impression material, was examined experimentally and clinically. Radium needles and iridium hairpins were used as radioactive sources. In both studies, it was revealed that a dose reduction effect of silicon impression material was greater than that of denture base resin. Silicon impression material was thought to be a better material for spacers because of its larger radiation dose reduction effect and the time saving to produce the spacer.