Radiation image storage panel

Claim 2

A radiation image storage panel having a fluorescent layer comprising a binder and a stimulable phosphor dispersed therein upon stimulation by rays having a wavelength ranging from 500 to 800 nm, wherein said phosphor is characterized in that said panel has a light-reflecting metallic layer on one side thereof with respect to the fluorescent layer opposite to the side exposed to the stimulating rays for said stimulable phosphor and that said phosphor is represented by the following general formula I or II; LnOX:aA (I) wherein Ln represents an element selected from the group of La, Y, Gd and Lu, X represents an element selected from the group of Cl and Br, A represents an element selected from the group of Ce and Tb, and a is a number satisfying the condition of 0<a<0.1; (Ba.sub.1-x M.sup.II.sub.x)FX.sub.1 :yA.sub.1 (II) wherein M II represents at least one divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn and Cd, X 1 represents at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I, A 1 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Tb, Ce, Tm, Dy, Pr, Ho, Nd, Yb and Er, and x and y are numbers satisfying the conditions of 0≦x≦0.6 and 0≦y≦0.2.

Claim 3

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein both the mean reflectance of said light-reflecting metallic layer in the wavelength region of the light emitted by said stimulable phosphor upon stimulation thereof and the mean reflectance of said light-reflecting metallic layer in the wavelength region of said stimulating rays are not lower than 70%.

Claim 4

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel consists solely of said fluorescent layer and said light-reflecting metallic layer.

Claim 5

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a fluorescent layer disposed thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 6

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a subbing layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 7

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a subbing layer disposed thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 8

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 9

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 10

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a first protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a second protective layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 11

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 12

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 13

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon.

Claim 14

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a layer of said panel existing on the side exposed to said stimulating rays with respect to said light-reflecting metallic layer is colored with a colorant so that the mean reflectance of said panel in the wavelength region of said stimulating rays of said stimulable phosphor is lower than the mean reflectance of said panel in the wavelength region of said light emitted by said stimulable phosphor upon stimulation thereof.

Claim 15

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein the mean reflectance of said panel in the wavelength region of said stimulating rays is not higher than 95% of the mean reflectance of a panel equivalent to said panel except for being uncolored with said colorant in the wavelength region of said stimulating rays.

Claim 16

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein the mean reflectance in said panel in the wavelength region of said light is not lower than 30% of the mean reflectance of a panel equivalent to said panel except for being uncolored with said colorant in the wavelength region of said light.

Claim 17

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 15 wherein said mean reflectance in said panel is not lower than 90% of the mean reflectance of said equivalent panel.

Claim 18

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel consists solely of said light-reflecting metallic layer and said fluorescent layer, and said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 19

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a fluorescent layer disposed thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon, and said fluorescent layer and/or said protective layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 20

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a subbing layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon, and said subbing layer and/or said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 21

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a light-reflecting metallic layer, a subbing layer disposed thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon, and at least one of said subbing layer, said fluorescent layer and said protective layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 22

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon, and said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 23

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon, and said subbing layer and/or said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 24

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a first protective layer, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a second protective layer disposed further thereon, and at least one of said subbing layer, said fluorescent layer and said second protective layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 25

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon, and said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 26

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon and a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon, and said subbing layer and/or said fluorescent layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 27

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 13 wherein said panel comprises a substrate, a light-reflecting metallic layer disposed thereon, a subbing layer disposed further thereon, a fluorescent layer disposed further thereon and a protective layer disposed further thereon, and at least one of said subbing layer, said fluorescent layer and said protective layer is colored with said colorant.

Claim 28

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluorescent layer comprises BaFBr:yEu 2+ .

Claim 29

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said image storage panel is scanned by using He-Ne laser beam.

Claim 30

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said image storage panel comprises a colorant having a body color ranging from blue to green.

Claim 31

A radiation image storage panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluorescent layer has a thickness ranging from 10μ to 1 mm.

Claim 32

A process for producing an image by using radiation image storage panel having a fluorescent layer comprising a binder and a stimulable phosphor dispersed therein upon stimulation by rays having a wavelength ranging from 500 to 800 nm, wherein said phosphor is characterized in that said panel has a light-reflecting metallic layer on one side thereof with respect to the fluorescent layer opposite to the side exposed to the stimulating rays for said stimulable phosphor and that said phosphor is represented by the following general formula I or II; LnOX:aA (I) wherein Ln represents an element selected from the group of La, Y, Gd and Lu, X represents an element selected from the group of Cl and Br, A represents an element selected from the group of Ce and Tb, and a is a number satisfying the condition of 0<a<0.1; (Ba.sub.1-x M.sup.II.sub.x)FX.sub.1 :yA.sub.1 (II) wherein M II represents at least one divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn and Cd, X 1 represents at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl. Br and I, A 1 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Tb, Ce, Tm, Dy, Pr, Ho, Nd, Yb and Er, and x and y are numbers satisfying the conditions of 0≦x≦0.6 and 0≦y≦0.2, and where said method comprises the steps of: (i) causing said panel to absorb a radiation passing through an object, (ii) scanning said panel with He-Ne laser beam to sequentially release the radiation energy stored in the stimulable phosphor of the panel as light emission and (iii) electrically converting the emitted light to a visible image.

Claim 33

A process for producing an image by using radiation image storage panel having a fluorescent layer comprising a binder and a stimulable phosphor dispersed therein upon stimulation by rays having a wavelength ranging from 500 to 800 nm, wherein said phosphor is characterized in that said panel has a light-reflecting metallic layer on one side thereof with respect to the fluorescent layer opposite to the side exposed to the stimulating rays for said stimulable phosphor and that said phosphor is represented by the following general formula I or II; LnOX:aA (I) wherein Ln represents an element selected from the group of La, Y, Gd and Lu, X represents an element selected from the group of Cl and Br, A represents an element selected from the group of Ce and Tb, and a is a number satisfying the condition of 0<a<0.1; (Ba.sub.1-x M.sup.II.sub.x)FX.sub.1 :yA.sub.1 (II) wherein M II represents at least one divalent metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn and Cd, X 1 represents at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl. Br and I, A 1 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Tb, Ce, Tm, Dy, Pr, Ho, Nd, Yb and Er, and x and y are numbers satisfying the conditions of 0≦x≦0.6 and 0≦y≦0.2, and where said method comprises the steps of: (i) causing said panel to absorb a radiation passing through an object, (ii) scanning said panel with He-Ne laser beam to sequentially release the radiation energy stored in the stimulable phosphor of the panel as light emission and (iii) electrically converting the emitted light to a visible image.