Chemiluminescent detecting method and apparatus

A chemiluminescent detecting method comprising the following steps:

• uniformly irradiating with radiation a stimulable phosphor sheet formed with a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor, which can store an energy of radiation and be stimulated by visible light to emit the energy of radiation in a form of light, thereby storing energy of radiation uniformly therein;
• selectively labeling a biopolymer with a labeling substance which can produce chemiluminescent light by contact between itself and a chemiluminescent substance, causing the biopolymer labeled with the labeling substance and the chemiluminescent substance to come into contact with each other;
• exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to chemiluminescent light produced by the contact of the biopolymer labeled with the labeling substance and the chemiluminescent substance for a predetermined period of time to release energy stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet relative to the position and intensity of the chemiluminescent light from the labeled biopolymer in contact with the chemiluminescent substance;
• scanning the exposed stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to stimulate release of the remaining stored energy;
• and
• photoelectrically converting the released remaining stored energy into an image representative of the chemiluminescent light released by the labeled biopolymer.