The invention comprises a method and apparatus for imaging a tumor of a patient using one or more imaging systems positionable about the tumor and treating the tumor using positively charged particles, such as a process of: (1) rotating a gantry support and/or gantry, connected to at least a portion of a beam transport system configured to pass a charged particle treatment beam, circumferentially about the patient and a gantry rotation axis; (2) translating a translatable imaging system past the patient on a path parallel to an axis perpendicular to the gantry rotation axis; (3) imaging the tumor using the translatable imaging system; and (4) treating the tumor using the rotatable treatment beam.