What should you know about a linear induction accelerator?

A linear accelerator, commonly shortened to LINAC, uses electrical energy to accelerate electrons and generate a radiation beam. The word induction may be used informally when someone is describing how the machine accelerates particles, but your treatment team will usually identify the equipment as a linear accelerator.

The device is part of a larger service that includes imaging, treatment planning, physics checks, and trained therapists. The beam is shaped for the prescribed region, while the rest of the body is positioned to reduce unnecessary exposure. The machine can move around the couch without touching you.

At the planning visit, tell the team about medicines, prior radiation, implanted devices, pregnancy possibility, and problems with lying still. Follow the centre's instructions about food, fluids, clothing, and skin products. On treatment days, arrive ready for careful positioning; the setup can take longer than the beam delivery.

You will usually remain awake while staff monitor you through cameras and an intercom. Keep still during delivery and speak up if you feel unwell. External-beam radiotherapy does not make you radioactive. Tiredness or local skin and tissue changes may occur, depending on the body area and treatment plan.

Call your oncology or radiotherapy team if a symptom is worsening or affects drinking, eating, sleep, movement, or ordinary activities. Prompt advice is appropriate for fever, severe skin reaction, ongoing vomiting, new neurological symptoms, or unexpected bleeding. Seek emergency help for collapse, severe breathlessness, confusion, or bleeding that cannot be controlled.

Ask what name your centre uses for the machine, what the treatment is intended to achieve, how positioning is checked, and which side effects are specific to your treated area. Ask for the direct contact number and what to do if a session must be changed.