In recent years, intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) has been growing in acceptance in the U.S. as an alternative to traditional external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for patients with early-stage breast cancer. For patients meeting appropriate selection criteria, the benefits are clear — shorter treatment times, added convenience, lower costs and fewer complications.[1, 2]

As radiation therapy continues to evolve, new techniques and technologies are largely focused on maximizing the dose to the tumor site while protecting surrounding tissue as much as possible. Image guidance is a critical component of treatment planning for tumor delineation and gauging treatment response, and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has traditionally been the modality of choice.

The trend toward consolidation in the healthcare industry continues to climb, with U.S. hospital mergers and acquisitions at their highest since 1999.