Radiation image read-out apparatus

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprising:

• (i) a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays linearly impinging upon a portion of a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein by stored radiation energy, said stimulating ray source being positioned on a first side of said stimulable phosphor sheet,
• (ii) a substantially transparent line sensor comprising many solid state photoelectric conversion devices for receiving and photoelectrically converting light emitted by said radiation image stored in said stimulable phosphor sheet in proportion to said stored radiation energy when said stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to the stimulating rays, said line sensor being positioned on said first side of said stimulable phosphor sheet such that said line sensor is positioned between said stimulable phosphor sheet and said stimulating ray source, said line sensor extending at least over the length of said portion of said stimuable phosphor sheet exposed linearly to the stimulating rays by said stimulating ray source through said line sensor so that said line sensor stands face to face with said linearly exposed portion of said stimulable phosphor sheet,
• (iii) scanning drive means for moving said portion exposed linearly to stimulating rays and said line sensor with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet along the surface of said stimulable phosphor sheet, and
• (iv) read-out means for sequentially reading out the outputs of said line sensor in accordance with the movement of said portion exposed linearly to stimulating rays and said line sensor with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein
• (v) the photoelectric conversion devices comprise a photoconductor exhibiting an energy gap larger than the energy of the stimulating rays and smaller than the energy of the light enitted by the radiation image stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet, and wherein the stimulating rays have a wavelength different from that of the light emitted by the radiation image stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet, said energy gap being in a range from 2.0 to 2.7 ev.