US 4,507,379 AGranted

Method for converting radiographic images

AssigneeKonishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.

InventorsHisanori Tsuchino, Manami Teshima, Hiroshi Takeuchi, Fumio Shimada

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Abstract

In a radiographic image conversion method in which a stimulating light is irradiated to a panel storing a radiation energy in the form of an image to reproduce and then to read out the image, the response speed of a stimulation and the reading speed of a radiographic image area increased by making use of (1) a phosphate type phosphor having the composition, xM.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2.NX.sub.2 :yA or M.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 :yA, which is a highly sensitive phosphor capable of readily releasing the stored energy when a stimulating light is irradiated to the phosphor, and (2) the stimulating light having the range of the wavelengths from a visible ray of not shorter that 500 nm to an infrared ray.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for converting radiographic images comprising steps of

(1) making a radiation passed through an object absorbed into a stimulable phosphor,
(2) stimulating the phosphor by a stimulating ray to release a radiation energy stored in the phospher as fluorescence, and
(3) detecting the fluorescence to form an image, wherein the phosphor is a phosphate-type phosphor of Formula (I) or (II) and the stimulating ray is at least one of a visible ray of not less than 500 nm and a infrared ray.
Formula (I)
xM.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 .multidot.NX.sub.2 :yA
Formula (II)
M.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 :yA
wherein M and N selected from at least one of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn and Cd;
X is at least one of F, Cl, Br and I;
A is at least one of Eu, Tb, Ce, Tm, Dy, Pr, Ho, Nd, Yb, Er, Sb, Tl, Mn and Sn;
and x and y are values satisfying the conditions of 0<x.ltoreq.6 and 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1, respectively.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.