Method and apparatus for recording and reproducing a radiation image

An apparatus for recording and reproducing a radiation image comprising (i) a radiation image storage panel comprising a visible ray- or infrared ray-stimulable phosphor which absorbs a radiation passing through an object, (ii) a light source emitting stimulation rays which stimulate said phosphor to release the energy of the radiation stored therein as fluorescent light, and (iii) a detector for detecting said fluorescent light characterized in that said phosphor is at least one phosphor selected from the group consisting of

• (a) a copper and lead activated zinc sulfide phosphor (ZnS:Cu,Pb),
• (b) a phosphor included in a group of europium activated barium aluminate phosphors represented by the formula
• BaO.xAl.sub.2 O.sub.3 :Eu
• wherein x is a number satisfying the condition of 0.8.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.10,
• (c) a phosphor included in a group of divalent metal silicate phosphors represented by the formula
• M.sup.II O.ySiO.sub.2 :A
• wherein M.sup.II is at least one divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn and Ba, A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ce, Tb, Eu, Tm, Pb, Tl, Bi and Mn, and y is a number satisfying the condition of 0.5.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.2.5, and
• (d) a phosphor included in a group of oxyhalide phosphors represented by the formula
• LnOX:zA'
• wherein Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Y, Gd and Lu, X is Cl and/or Br, A' is Ce and/or Tb, and z is a number satisfying the condition of 0<z<0.1,
• and that the wavelength of said stimulation rays is not less than 500 nm.