Integrated translation/rotation charged particle imaging/treatment apparatus and method of use thereof

An apparatus for both imaging a tumor and treating the tumor of a patient, comprising:

• a gantry support connected to a gantry, said gantry positioning at least a portion of a beam transport system,
• wherein said gantry and said portion of said beam transport system rotate about a gantry rotation axis during use;
• and
• a translatable imaging system configured to translate parallel to an axis perpendicular to the gantry rotation axis,
• wherein said translatable imaging system images the tumor during use,
• wherein said positively charged particle beam, transported through said portion of said beam transport system, treats the tumor during use.

A method for both imaging a portion of a sample and treating the sample using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:

• providing a gantry support connected to a gantry, said gantry connected to at least a portion of a beam transport system;
• transporting the positively charged particle beam through said portion of said beam transport system;
• rotating said gantry and said portion of said beam transport system about a gantry rotation axis;
• translating a translatable imaging system parallel to an axis perpendicular to the gantry rotation axis;
• imaging the portion of the sample using said translatable imaging system;
• and
• treating the sample using the positively charged particle beam.