Radiation image read-out and erasing method and apparatus

A radiation image read-out and erasing apparatus for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet and erasing the residual image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet comprising

• a read-out section which has a stimulating ray source and a photoelectric read-out means, an erasing section which is disposed adjacent to the read-out section and is provided with first and second erasing light sources, and a sheet feeding means which moves the stimulable phosphor sheet relative to the read-out section and the erasing section through the read-out section to the erasing section and through the erasing section to the read-out section, the radiation image stored on the stimulable phosphor sheet being read out by exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays from the stimulating light source, photoelectrically detecting light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet by the photoelectric read-out means and converting it into an electric image signal in said read-out section while the stimulable phosphor sheet is fed through the read-out section toward the erasing section by the sheet feeding means, and residual image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet after read-out being erased by exposing the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet which is fed to the erasing section after passing through the read-out section to first erasing light from the first erasing light source and exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to second erasing light from the second erasing light source while the stimulable phosphor sheet is fed through the erasing section toward the read-out section,
• wherein the improvement comprises that the first erasing light contains no light component in a wavelength range which can be detected by the photoelectric read-out means and the second erasing light contains a light component in the wavelength range which can be detected by the photoelectric read-out means.