Analysis of the existing technologies in intraoperative radiotherapy

Abstract

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) involves the application of a high radiation dose to the tumor bed during surgery, after removing the tumor through conventional surgery techniques. IORT technique allows a direct application of the radiation to the tumor site, increasing the dose received and allowing the retraction of the normal tissues from the radiation field. The use of intraoperative radiotherapy has gained popularity in the last years due to the development mobile, self-shielded IORT systems that allow the delivery of radiation in the operating room. The different IORT modalities that are currently used in clinical practice are intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IOERT), low-kV X-ray IORT and high-dose-rate intraoperative radiation therapy (HDR-IORT). Each modality has distinct characteristics pertaining to the equipment used, radiation beams employed, associated costs, and optimal clinical scenarios in which they can perform. This work aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of the different IORT modalities. The findings of these research may provide useful insights and guidance for clinicians and healthcare providers in choosing the most appropriate intraoperative radiation modality for their clinical practice.