EP0094843A1 — Radiation image recording and read-out method and…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 138 words

A radiation image recording and read-out method including the steps of: i) recording a radiation image of an object on a recording member comprising a stimulable phosphor layer by exposing said recording member to a radiation passing through the object to have the radiation absorbed in said recording member, and ii) scanning said recording member carrying said radiation image stored therein with a laser beam which has a wavelength within the range capable of. stimulating said stimulable phosphor and which causes said recording material to emit light in the pattern of said radiation image stored therein upon stimulation thereof, and reading out the emitted light by use ofaphotodetector to obtain an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, characterised in that the said laser beam with which said recording member is scanned has a wavelength shorter than 600nm.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 138 words

A radiation image recording and read-out method including the steps of: i) recording a radiation image of an object on a recording member comprising a stimulable phosphor layer by exposing said recording member to a radiation passing through the object to have the radiation absorbed in said recording member, and ii) scanning said recording member carrying said radiation image stored therein with a laser beam which has a wavelength within the range capable of. stimulating said stimulable phosphor and which causes said recording material to emit light in the pattern of said radiation image stored therein upon stimulation thereof, and reading out the emitted light by use ofaphotodetector to obtain an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, characterised in that the said laser beam with which said recording member is scanned has a wavelength shorter than 600nm.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein as said laser beam is used an Ar + , Kr or Ar -Kr gas ion laser beam.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 153 words

A radiation image recording and read-but apparatus comprising: i) at least one recording member (2) comprising a stimulable phosphor layer capable of absorbing a radiation passing through an object (6) to store a radiation image of said object therein; ii) a laser beam source (7) capable of generating a laser beam having a wavelength within a range capable of stimulating said stimulable phosphor and arranged to be capable of scanning a said recording member thereby to cause said recording member to emit light in the pattern of a said radiation image stored therein; and iii) a photodetector (9) arranged to detect light emitted from said recording member on the scanning thereof with said laser beam and provided with means for converting light so detected into an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, characterized in that said laser beam source is capable of emitting a laser beam having a wavelength shorter than 600nm.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 153 words

A radiation image recording and read-but apparatus comprising: i) at least one recording member (2) comprising a stimulable phosphor layer capable of absorbing a radiation passing through an object (6) to store a radiation image of said object therein; ii) a laser beam source (7) capable of generating a laser beam having a wavelength within a range capable of stimulating said stimulable phosphor and arranged to be capable of scanning a said recording member thereby to cause said recording member to emit light in the pattern of a said radiation image stored therein; and iii) a photodetector (9) arranged to detect light emitted from said recording member on the scanning thereof with said laser beam and provided with means for converting light so detected into an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, characterized in that said laser beam source is capable of emitting a laser beam having a wavelength shorter than 600nm.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said laser beam source is an Ar + , r, or Ar + -Kr + gas ion laser beam source.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 230 words

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: i) a supporting material (.1), iii) at least one recording member (2) supported by said supporting material and comprising a stimulable phosphor layer capable of storing a radiation image, iii) an image recording section whereat said recording member may be exposed to a radiation passing through an iobject (6) to have a radiation image of the object stored in said recording member, iv) an image read-out section provided with a laser beam source (7) capable of emitting a laser beam having a wavelength shorter than 600nm and arranged to scan a said recording member carrying a said radiation image stored therein, and a photodetector (9) arranged to detect light emitted from said recording member on the scanning and stimulation thereof with the laser beam emitted from said laser beam source and provided with means for converting the emitted light so detected to an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, v) a means for circulating said recording member on said supporting material with respect to said image read-out section by repeatedly moving said supporting material and said image read-out section with respect to each other, and vi) an erasing means (11) capable of eliminating radiation energy remaining in said recording member prior to image recording on said recording member after a radiation image is read out therefrom at said image read-out section.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 230 words

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: i) a supporting material (.1), iii) at least one recording member (2) supported by said supporting material and comprising a stimulable phosphor layer capable of storing a radiation image, iii) an image recording section whereat said recording member may be exposed to a radiation passing through an iobject (6) to have a radiation image of the object stored in said recording member, iv) an image read-out section provided with a laser beam source (7) capable of emitting a laser beam having a wavelength shorter than 600nm and arranged to scan a said recording member carrying a said radiation image stored therein, and a photodetector (9) arranged to detect light emitted from said recording member on the scanning and stimulation thereof with the laser beam emitted from said laser beam source and provided with means for converting the emitted light so detected to an electric signal corresponding to said radiation image, v) a means for circulating said recording member on said supporting material with respect to said image read-out section by repeatedly moving said supporting material and said image read-out section with respect to each other, and vi) an erasing means (11) capable of eliminating radiation energy remaining in said recording member prior to image recording on said recording member after a radiation image is read out therefrom at said image read-out section.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said laser beam source is an Ar + , Kr + , or Ar -Kr gas ion laser beam source.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 20 words

An apparatus as claimed in either of claims 5 and 6 wherein said supporting material is an endless supporting material.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said endless supporting material is an endless belt or a rotatable drum.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 20 words

An apparatus as claimed in either of claims 5 and 6 wherein said supporting material is a plate-like supporting material.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plate-like supporting material is made of a radiation transmitting material and in use is maintained stationary with respect to said image read-out section, whereby image recording onto said recording member is conducted in said image recording section from one side of said supporting material, and image read-out is conducted in said image read-out section from the other side of said supporting material.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plate-like supporting material is provided with means for moving it and said recording member with respect to said image read-out section to conduct scanning of said recording member with the laser beam.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 34 words

An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein said supporting material is arranged to be capable of being circulated between said image recording section and said image read-out section.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 37 words

An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 12 wherein said recording material is a stimulable phosphor layer formed on said supporting material or is a stimulable phosphor sheet releasably secured to said supporting material.

Radiation image recording and read-out method and apparatus

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