High‑energy LINACs (15‑25 MeV) can treat deep tumours (e.g., prostate, lung) and deliver higher doses. Medium‑energy LINACs (6‑10 MeV) are cheaper and sufficient for most superficial tumours (e.g., breast, head & neck). The medical linear accelerator market research shows that high‑energy LINACs hold the largest share, but medium‑energy is the fastest‑growing, driven by cost‑conscious hospitals in emerging markets.
What's the trade‑off? High‑energy LINACs cost $3‑5 million, medium‑energy $2‑3 million. The medical linear accelerator market trends highlight that the fastest‑growing application is stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which requires high energy for brain tumours.
New technology: compact LINACs that fit in a standard radiotherapy bunker, reducing construction costs. And robotic LINACs (e.g., CyberKnife) that track moving tumours.
The bottom line: if your hospital treats mostly breast and prostate cancer, a medium‑energy LINAC is fine. If you offer SBRT or treat deep tumours, invest in high‑energy.
