Ultrasound-Guided Cryoablation Therapy for Breast Cancer: Economic Impact of Service Integration into an Existing Breast Imaging Practice

Purpose: Ultrasound-guided cryoablation therapy for breast cancer was recently approved by the Federal Drug Administration. The purpose of this study is to analyze the financial and economic impact of starting a breast cancer cryoablation service line within an existing breast imaging practice.

Methods/Materials: The costs associated with implementing a breast cancer cryoablation service line were determined based on per unit hospital purchase costs for cryogen argon, cryoablation probe and disposable supplies. The standard national average reimbursement rate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a cryoablation procedure was used and compared with standard payment rates received for comparable US-, stereotactic- and MRI-guided breast biopsy procedures.

Results: Data for 40 single-site breast cryoablation and multimodality biopsy procedures (10 each) performed at a hospital outpatient breast imaging center between October 2023 and June 2025 were collected.
The procedural cost incurred for cryoablation was the highest, with an average of $1,940 per procedure. The CMS reimbursement rate for cryoablation was $3,829.28 (CPT code 0581T). The physician fee reimbursement rate for initial cryoablation consultation was $139.10 (CPT code 99202). The average procedural costs for US-, stereotactic- and MRI-guided biopsies were $148.09, $298.80, and $583.00 and CMS reimbursement rates were $1,766.77 (CPT code 19083), $1,776.15 (CPT code 19081), and $1,791.68 (CPT code 19085), respectively. The net revenue generated from cryoablation was $2,028.38. The net revenue generated from US-, stereotactic- and MRI-guided biopsies were $1,618.68, $1,477.35, and $1,208.68, respectively. Based on CMS reimbursement rates, cryoablation generated the highest revenue with an overall increase of $409.70, $551.03, and $819.70 over US-, stereotactic-, and MRI-guided biopsy procedures, respectively (P value < 0.01).

Conclusions: US-guided breast cancer cryoablation therapy is a procedure that can be integrated into an existing breast imaging practice, with anticipated net revenue generation, when compared to multimodality breast biopsies that are typically performed at a breast center.