Rotating scanner system for reading multiple storage layer radiation screens

A system for reading multiple storage layer radiation screens, the system comprising:

• a carousel mount on which multiple carousels are mountable, each carousel being movable on the mount to a position where the carousel is rotated by a rotation mechanism;
• a rotation mechanism for rotating at least one carousel on the carousel mount about a rotational axis to cause a screen held on the rotating carousel to move in a circular path about the rotational axis;
• and
• an image acquisition optical system positioned adjacent the rotating carousel, the image acquisition optical system including an excitation system for focusing an excitation beam in the direction of the rotating carousel, the excitation beam causing light to be emitted from the screen as the screen is contacted with the excitation beam as the carousel is rotated, and an emission collecting system for collecting the light emitted from the screen.

A method for reading multiple storage layer radiation screens comprising:

• rotating a carousel holding multiple storage layer screens about a rotational axis such that the multiple screens move in circular paths about the rotational axis;
• focusing an excitation beam in the direction of the carousel as the carousel is rotated, the excitation beam causing light to be emitted from those screens which move into contact with the excitation beam as the carousel is rotated;
• collecting the light emitted;
• and
• moving the excitation beam in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the carousel as the carousel is rotated.

A system for reading a storage layer radiation screen, the system comprising:

• a carousel mount for holding a carousel having a storage layer radiation screen such that the carousel is removable from the mount without disassembly of the mount, the carousel mount including a rotation mechanism for rotating the carousel about a rotational axis, rotation of the carousel causing the screen on the carousel to move in a circular path about the rotational axis;
• an image acquisition optical system positioned adjacent the carousel, the image acquisition optical system including an excitation system for focusing an excitation beam in the direction of the carousel, the excitation beam causing light to be emitted from the screen as the screen is contacted with the excitation beam as the carousel is rotated, and an emission collecting system for collecting light emitted from the screen;
• and
• an optics driver for moving the excitation beam in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the carousel as the carousel is rotated.

A method for forming and reading an image on a storage layer radiation screen comprising:

• forming an image on a storage layer screen;
• attaching the storage layer screen to a carousel;
• attaching the carousel containing the storage layer screen to a mechanism for rotating the carousel about a rotational axis;
• rotating the carousel about the rotational axis, rotation of the carousel causing the screen on the carousel to move in a circular path about the rotational axis;
• focusing an excitation beam in the direction of the carousel as the carousel is rotated, the excitation beam causing light to be emitted from the screen when the screen is contacted with the excitation beam as the carousel is rotated;
• collecting the light emitted;
• and
• moving the excitation beam in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the carousel as the carousel is rotated.