Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

Claim 2

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus provided with: i) a circulation and conveyance means for conveying a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined circulation path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said circulation path for recording a radiation image of an object on each of said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, iii) an image read-out section positioned on said circulation path and provided with a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored thereon at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and iv) an erasing section positioned on said circulation path for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted at said image read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining on said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein the improvement comprises: v) constituting said image read-out section so that a stimulating ray scanning size with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet is changeable, and said image read-out section receives a scanning size designation signal and adjusts said stimulating ray scanning size to a scanning size represented by said scanning size designation signal, and vi) providing a control section for storing combinations of image recording menus with stimulating ray scanning sizes in a storage means, receiving a signal representing one of said image recording menus, reading the scanning size corresponding to said image recording menu represented by said signal from said storage means, and sending a signal representing said scanning size as said scanning size designation signal to said image read-out section.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said image read-out section comprises a light deflector for scanning said stimulating rays on said stimulable phosphor sheet in a main scanning direction, and a sheet movement means for moving said stimulable phosphor sheet in a sub-scanning direction while said stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with said stimulating rays in the main scanning direction.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in Claim 2 wherein said image read-out section is constituted to change said stimulating ray scanning size with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet by controlling the operations of said light deflector and said sheet movement means.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said image recording section is provided with marks corresponding to said stimulating ray scanning sizes.

Claim 6

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus provided with: i) a circulation and conveyance means for conveying a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined circulation path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said circulation path for recording a radiation image of an object on each of said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, iii) an image read-out section positioned on said circulation path and provided with a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored thereon at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and iv) an erasing section positioned on said circulation path for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted at said image read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining on said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein the improvement comprises: v) constituting said image read-out section so that a stimulating ray scanning size with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet is changeable, and said image read-out section receives a scanning size designation signal and adjusts said stimulating ray scanning size to a scanning size represented by said scanning size designation signal, vi) providing said image recording section with an irradiation field adjusting means for adjusting an irradiation field to a region on said stimulable phosphor sheet where said scanning with said stimulating rays is conducted, and vii) providing a control section for storing combinations of image recording menus with stimulating ray scanning sizes in a storage means, receiving a signal representing one of said image recording menus, reading the scanning size corresponding to said image recording menu represented by said signal from said storage means, and sending a signal representing said scanning size as said scanning size designation signal to said image read-out section.

Claim 7

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus provided with: i) a circulation and conveyance means for conveying a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined circulation path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said circulation path for recording a radiation image of an object on each of said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, iii) an image read-out section positioned on said circulation path and provided with a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored thereon at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and iv) an erasing section positioned on said circulation path for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted at said image read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining on said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein the improvement comprises: v) constituting said image read-out section so that a stimulating ray scanning size with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet is changeable, and said image read-out section receives a scanning size designation signal and adjusts said stimulating ray scanning size to a scanning size represented by said scanning size designation signal, vi) providing said image recording section with an irradiation field adjusting means for adjusting an irradiation field to a region on said stimulable phosphor sheet where said scanning with said stimulating rays is conducted, and vii) providing a control section for storing combinations of image recording menus with stimulating ray scanning sizes in a storage means, receiving a signal representing one of said image recording menus, reading the scanning size corresponding to said image recording menu represented by said signal from said storage means, and sending a signal representing said scanning size as said scanning size designation signal to said image read-out section.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in Claim 5 wherein said image read-out section comprises a light deflector for scanning said stimulating rays on said stimulable phosphor sheet in a main scanning direction, and a sheet movement means for moving said stimulable phosphor sheet in a sub-scanning direction while said stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with said stimulating rays in the main scanning direction.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein said image read-out section is constituted to change said stimulating ray scanning size with respect to said stimulable phosphor sheet by controlling the operations of said light deflector and said sheet movement means.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in Claim 5 wherein said image recording section is provided with a means for moving a radiation source for emitting said radiation.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined in Claim 8 wherein said control section sends said scanning size designation signal also to said radiation source moving means and said irradiation field adjusting means.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in Claim 9 wherein said image read-out section is constituted to change a starting point of said scanning in accordance with said scanning size.