Speculum (medical)

A speculum (Latin for "mirror"; plural specula or speculums) is a medical tool for investigating body orifices, with a form dependent on the orifice for which it is designed. In old texts, the speculum may also be referred to as a diopter or dioptra. Like an endoscope, a speculum allows entry into a body cavity; endoscopes, however, tend to have optics while a speculum is intended for direct vision.