What a traditional linac does
A traditional linear accelerator delivers external-beam radiation according to a treatment plan created from a single planning CT taken at the beginning of treatment. The same plan is then used for every session — typically 20 to 45 daily visits over several weeks.
Traditional linacs may use cone-beam CT (CBCT) for positioning checks, but the underlying plan does not change as your anatomy changes day to day.
What the Gemini 360 does differently
- Captures a full 3D image of the tumor at every session, not just at the start of treatment
- Recalculates the radiation plan in real time so the dose matches your anatomy today
- Uses tighter safety margins because the system knows where the tumor is each day
- Delivers the full course in as few as 5 sessions for many cancers
- Supports SBRT, SRS, hypofractionation, and low-dose benign RT on a single platform
Side-by-side comparison
- Plan adaptation — Traditional linac: one plan for the entire course. Gemini 360: re-planned every session.
- Imaging — Traditional linac: planning CT + occasional CBCT. Gemini 360: full 3D imaging at every session.
- Margins — Traditional linac: larger safety margins to account for daily anatomy variation. Gemini 360: tighter margins because the system images daily.
- Course length — Traditional linac: 20–45 sessions. Gemini 360: as few as 5 sessions for many cancers.
- Healthy-tissue dose — Traditional linac: more spillover to surrounding tissue. Gemini 360: typically less, due to tighter margins and daily adaptation.
What this means for patients
For patients, the practical difference is fewer trips to the clinic, less total time off work and away from family, and typically fewer side effects than a long course on a traditional linac. For some diagnoses, a traditional linac may still be the right choice, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Talk through the trade-offs for your specific diagnosis: call (435) 900-7060 or visit /faq for our most common patient questions.
