Duplicating radiographic, medical or other black and white images using laser thermal digital halftone printing

Apparatus for duplicating continuous tone black and white images comprising:

• an image signal source of a continuous tone black and white image signal including a matrix of pixels;
• a screener for screening said black and white image signal with a digital halftone screen, such that each pixel of said image signal is represented by a predetermined matrix of micro-pixels, whereby to produce a digital halftone image signal corresponding to said continuous tone black and white image signal;
• a printer for creating a finished master by printing said digital halftone image onto a dye coated solid medium by means of laser thermal recording;
• a duplicator for producing a duplicate of said master by contact printing onto a duplicating medium by exposing said master and said duplicating medium to light;
• and
• means for transferring said finished master from said printer to said duplicator to bring said master into contact with said duplicating medium.