Methods and apparatus for imaging elongate objects

An imaging system, comprising:

• an imaging cassette adapted to be exposed to radiation of an elongate object, the cassette having a single storage phosphor plate and two opposing ends through which at least a portion of the single plate can be extracted;
• wherein the cassette has no internal structure preventing free sliding movement of the plate in the cassette for partial removal from either of the two opposing ends;
• a storage phosphor reader adapted to (1) extract a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scan the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image, and (2) extract a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scan the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image;
• and
• means for combining the first and second partial images to form the image of the elongate object.

A method of reading a radiation image of an elongate object, comprising the steps of:

• providing a cassette exposed to radiation, the cassette having a single storage phosphor plate and two opposing ends through which at least a portion of the single plate can be extracted;
• wherein the cassette has no internal structure preventing free sliding movement of the plate in the cassette for partial removal from either of the ends of the cassette;
• extracting a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image;
• extracting a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image;
• and
• combining the first and second partial images so as to form the image of the elongate object.

A method of forming a composite digital image of an elongate object from a radiation image formed on a single extended length storage phosphor plate disposed within a cassette, wherein the cassette has no internal structure preventing free sliding movement of the plate in the cassette for partial removal from either of first and second ends of the cassette, comprising the steps of:

• extracting a first portion of the single plate through a first end of the cassette;
• scanning the first portion to obtain a first partial image;
• extracting a second portion of the single plate through a second end of the cassette opposing the first end;
• scanning the second portion to obtain a second partial image;
• and
• combining the first and second partial images to form the image of the elongate object.

A method of forming a composite digital image of an elongate object from a radiation image formed on a single extended length storage phosphor plate disposed within a cassette, wherein the cassette has no internal structure preventing free sliding movement of the plate in the cassette for partial removal from either of first and second ends of the cassette, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first end of the cassette relative to a storage phosphor reader;
• extracting a first portion of the single plate through the first end of the cassette;
• scanning the first portion to obtain a first partial image;
• after scanning the first portion, repositioning the cassette such that a second end of the cassette, opposite the first end, is positioned relative to the storage phosphor reader;
• extracting a second portion of the single plate through the second end of the cassette;
• scanning the second portion to obtain a second partial image;
• and
• combining the first and second partial images to form the image of the elongate object.