US 6,784,448 B2 · Method for reading radiation image from stimulable phosphor sheet

Abstract

A method for reading a radiation image from a stimulable phosphor sheet composed of a substrate and a stimulable phosphor layer containing a latent radiation image by means of a radiation image-reading means having stimulating light-applying unit and a stimulated emission-collecting unit having a lens and a stimulated emission-receiving plane, which is performed by the steps of applying a stimulating light onto the phosphor layer under the condition that the phosphor sheet moves along its sheet plane in relation to the stimulated emission-collecting unit; collecting a stimulated emission emitting from the area onto which the stimulating light is applied on the emission-receiving plane through the lens; and photoelectrically converting the collected emission into electric signals in the stimulated emission-collecting unit, is improved by moving the stimulable phosphor sheet in relation to the emission-collecting unit under the condition that the stimulating light-applied area of the stimulable phosphor layer is kept apart from the center of the emission-receiving plane with a space in the range defined by a combination of a reference space and a focal depth of the lens, in which the reference space is defined by a length at which the stimulated from the phosphor layer focuses on the plane after passing through the lens.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for reading a radiation image from a stimulable phosphor layer comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a stimulating light with a stimulating light-applying unit onto an area of the stimulable phosphor layer, wherein the stimulable phosphor layer has inherent surface irregularities, and wherein the stimulable phosphor layer has a means for forming a reference plane to track the surface irregularities;
whereby a stimulated emission emits from said light-applied area of the stimulable phosphor layer through a lens, the lens having a focal depth measured from a mean height of the stimulable phosphor layer;
and wherein an intensity of the stimulated emission corresponds to a level of energy stored by phosphors in said light-applied area of the stimulable phosphor layer;
(b) receiving the stimulated emission emitting through the lens with a stimulated emission-receiving plane, wherein the stimulated emission-receiving plane is spaced at a distance from the light-applied area of the stimulable phosphor layer, and wherein the distance is predetermined so as to focus the stimulated emission emitting through the lens onto the stimulated emission-receiving plane;
(c) photoelectrically converting the stimulated emission into electrical signals;
(d) repeating (a) through (c) for every area of the stimulable phosphor layer, wherein the distance is maintained by the reference plane forming means such that the distance varies only within the focal depth;
and
(e) assembling the electrical signals to form the radiation image.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for reading radiation image from stimulable phosphor sheet

Life of this patent

Method for reading radiation image from stimulable phosphor sheet

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24