Method of processing X-ray film cassettes with phosporus-coated films and a reading station for executing the process
AssigneeAgfa-Gevaert
InventorsWalter Bauer, Jurgen Muller, Volkmar Voigtlander
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a reading station for processing a cassette containing an X-ray film coated with a layer of stimulatable phosphorus are proposed. The cassette with the film therein, before being positioned in the reading station, is exposed to X-rays to produce a latent image thereon. The film is then removed from the cassette and the phosphorus layer is brought by a laser beam scanner to luminescence so that the emitted light converts the latent image into digital electric signals stored in the central memory. The film is then erased and re-inserted into the same cassette within the reading station.
Claims10
In a method of processing an X-ray film cassette formed of a bottom part and a lid pivotable one relative to another and containing an X-ray receiving film coated with a layer of stimulatable phosphorus which faces towards said bottom part, the method comprising the steps of exposing said film to X-rays to produce thereon a latent image and in a reading station, after removing the film from the cassette, bringing said latent image to luminescence by means of a laser beam scanner so that emitted light converts said image into digital electric image signals, erasing said film by exposing the same to visible light, storing the digital image signals in a central memory and converting them into a visible image on an image screen or in an image screen receiving apparatus or processing the digital image signals stored in the central memory in a laser beam receiving apparatus to receive them on a photographic sheet film, the improvement comprising positioning the cassette in the reading station, removing the film from the cassette and inserting the film into a film platform, guiding said film platform with the film therein in a direction perpendicularly to a scanning direction of a laser beam scanner (6a, 6b) which scans the film, guiding said film platform further to a light-conductive element (6c) which is connected to a photomultiplier and the central memory in which said storing step is executed, moving said platform with the film further to a lamp to execute said erasing step, said platform being guided linearly from an initial position to an end position, transporting said cassette in the same direction as said platform with the film to a position corresponding to said end position, inserting the film removed from the platform into said cassette at said corresponding position, closing the lid of said cassette, and discharging said cassette with the erased film therein from the reading station for a reuse.
A reading station for processing an X-ray film cassette formed of a bottom part and a lid pivotable one relative to another and containing an X-ray receiving film coated with a layer of stimulatable phosphorus which faces towards said bottom part, wherein said film is exposed to X-rays to produce thereon a latent image, the reading station comprising housing means having an inlet opening for insertion the cassette with the film therein into the reading station and an outlet opening aligned with said inlet opening and formed opposite thereto for discharging the cassette from the reading station;
- two cassette positioning means for positioning the cassette in said reading station, a first one of said positioning means being located next to said inlet opening and a second one of said positioning means being located next to and before said outlet opening and in alignment with said first positioning means;
- means for removing the film from the cassette, a laser beam scanner for bringing said latent image to luminescence so that emitted light converts said image into digital electric signals;
- a central memory for storing said digital image signals;
- means for erasing said film by exposing the same to visible light;
- a film platform receiving the film removed from the cassette, said first and second positioning means guiding said film platform with the film therein in a direction perpendicularly to a scanning direction of the laser beam scanner (6a, 6b) which scans the film;
- a light-conductive element (6c) and a photomultiplier connected to the central memory, said erasing means including a lamp, said positioning means linearly moving said platform with the film by said light-conductive element and said lamp from an initial position to an end position, said positioning means including means transporting said cassette in the same direction as said platform with the film to a position corresponding to said end position;
- means inserting the film removed from the platform into said cassette at said corresponding position;
- and means closing the lid of said cassette, said cassette with the erased film therein being discharged from the reading station through said outlet opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.