Radiation image read-out apparatus

A radiation image read-out apparatus, wherein a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, is scanned with stimulating rays, which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, the emitted light having a wavelength distribution different from the wavelength distribution of the stimulating rays, the emitted light is photoelectrically detected, and the radiation image is thereby read out,

• the radiation image read-out apparatus comprising:
• (i) a sheet holding means for holding the stimulable phosphor sheet along a cylindrical surface,
• (ii) a stimulating ray source, which produces the stimulating rays,
• (iii) an optical element, which is located in an optical path of the stimulating rays, and which transmits one of the stimulating rays and the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet and reflects the other thereof,
• (iv) a spinner provided with:
• a) a deflection mirror, which reflects the stimulating rays coming from said optical element toward the stimulable phosphor sheet, the reflection being effected on the center axis of said cylindrical surface, and
• b) a condensing lens, which is located in the optical path of the stimulating rays having been reflected by said deflection mirror, and which converges the stimulating rays on the stimulable phosphor sheet, said condensing lens also converging the light, which is emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet, at a predetermined converging position,
• said spinner rotating said deflection mirror and said condensing lens together with each other and coaxially with respect to said center axis, the stimulating rays being thereby caused to scan the stimulable phosphor sheet in a main scanning direction,
• v) a sub-scanning means for moving said sheet holding means with respect to said spinner and in a direction parallel to said center axis, and
• vi) a photodetector located such that its light receiving face is located substantially at said predetermined converging position, at which the light having a center wavelength in the wavelength distribution of the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet is converged by said condensing lens.