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 of alkaline earth metal fluorohalide phosphors represented by the formula

• (Ba.sub.1-x M.sub.x.sup.II)FX:yA
• wherein M.sup.II is at least one divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn and Cd, X is at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, and I, A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Tb, Ce, Tm, Dy, Pr, Ho, Nd, Yb and Er, and x and y are numbers satisfying the conditions of 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.6 and 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.2, and that the wavelength of said stimulation rays is not less than 500 nm.