Image read-out method and system, solid image sensor, and image detecting sheet

An image read-out system comprising

• a stimulating light scanning means which causes stimulating light to scan a stimulable phosphor sheet having a stimulable phosphor layer which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to the stimulating light,
• a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet and a pair of electrode layers which are disposed on opposite sides of the photoconductive material layer and are provided with electrodes for detecting electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer, an electric voltage imparting means which imparts an electric voltage to the photoconductive material layer of the solid image sensor to apply an electric field to the photoconductive material layer,
• an image signal obtaining means which detects electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer of the solid image sensor when the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to the stimulating light and stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet impinges upon the photoconductive material layer by the electric voltage imparting means to apply an electric field to the photoconductive material layer, and detects an image signal representing an image stored on the stimulable phosphor sheet, and
• a fluctuation suppressing means for administering on the image signal a process which suppresses fluctuation of the image signal due to fluctuation in the electric field applied to the photoconductive material layer,
• said stimulable phosphor sheet has a stimulable phosphor layer which is stimulated by stimulating light in a wavelength range of not shorter than 600 nm and emits stimulated emission in a wavelength range of not longer than 500 nm,
• said solid image sensor has a photoconductive material layer whose major component is a-Se, and
• the electrode of at least one of the electrode layers is divided by picture element pitches into a stripe electrode comprising a plurality of line electrode elements arranged in a row.

An image read-out system comprising:

• a stimulating light scanning means which causes stimulating light to scan a stimulable phosphor sheet having a stimulable phosphor layer which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to the stimulating light,
• a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet and a pair of electrode layers which are disposed on opposite sides of the photoconductive material layer and are provided with electrodes for detecting electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer,
• an electric voltage imparting mcans which imparts an electric voltage to the photoconductive material layer of the solid image sensor io apply an electric field to the photoconductive material layer,
• an image signal obtaining means which detects electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer of the solid image sensor when the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to the stimulating light and stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet impinges upon the photoconductive material layer by the electric voltage imparting means to apply an electric field to the photoconductive material layer, and detects an image signal representing an image stored on the stimulable phosphor sheet, and
• a fluctuation suppressing means for administering on the image signal a process which suppresses fluctuation of the image signal due to fluctuation in the electric field applied to the photoconductive material layer.