Electrostatic imaging apparatus

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 including the step of converting said time dependent electric potential into a video signal for storage and display.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 2 including amplifying said video signal.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 3 including the step of rewriting said amplified video signal onto an analog archival storage medium.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 2 including digitalizing said video signal.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 5 including processing said digitalized video signal in a digital computer for image enhancement and pattern recognition.

Claim 8

A method as in claim 5 including storing said digitalized video signal in a digital archival storage medium.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said scanning means is a multisided front surfaced mirror synchronously rotated about its longitudinal axis and stepped sequentially in elevation by a stepping motor responsive to the end of one scan line.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said stepping motor causes said light beam to scan at least 10 lines per millimeter on the surface of said photoconductor.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said signal acquisition means is an amplifier connected electrically between a first conductive layer of said detector and a transparent conductive layer.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said amplifier is operated in the short circuit mode.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said amplifier is cooled to reduce noise.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said display means is a video monitor electrically connected to the output of said amplifier and adapted to display an image formed by the electrical signal produced by said amplifier.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 11 including a radiographic storage and processing system operably attached and responsive to said amplifier's output.

Claim 18

A mass screening system for obtaining radiographs comprising: a source of X-rays; a light-tight housing spaced apart from said source and adapted to permit a patient to place the body part being X-rayed against the side of the housing proximate said source; a multilayered photon detector apparatus mounted in said housing proximate said source, said multilayered photon detector comprising: a first conductive layer; a photoconductive layer in electrical contact with said first conductive layer; a transparent insulating layer affixed to said photoconductive layer, said photoconductive layer disposed between said transparent insulating layer and said first conductive layer; and a transparent conductive layer affixed to said transparent insulating layer, said transparent insulating layer disposed between said transparent conductive layer and said photoconductive layer, said first conductive layer of said detector being covered with an insulative layer and faces said source; means for scanning said photoconductive layer of said detector with a thin beam of light; control means operably connected to said X-ray source and said scanning means for sequentially exposing said detector to X-rays from said source after their passage through a patient and then scanning said thin light beam in a regular raster pattern over the surface of said photoconductive layer; signal acquisition means operably connected and responsive to said detector for reading out the latent image on said detector while it is scanned by said light beam; video display means connected and responsive to said signal acquisition means for displaying the latent image readout of said detector.

Claim 19

A mass screening system for obtaining radiographs comprising: a source of X-rays; a light-tight housing spaced apart from said source and adapted to permit a patient to place the body part being X-rayed against the side of the housing proximate said source; a multilayered photon detector apparatus mounted in said housing proximate said source, said multilayered photon detector comprising: a first conductive layer; a photoconductive layer in electrical contact with said first conductive layer; a transparent insulating layer affixed to said photoconductive layer, said photoconductive layer disposed between said transparent insulating layer and said first conductive layer; and a transparent conductive layer affixed to said transparent insulating layer, said transparent insulating layer disposed between said transparent conductive layer and said photoconductive layer, said first conductive layer of said detector being covered with an insulative layer and faces said source; means for scanning said photoconductive layer of said detector with a thin beam of light; control means operably connected to said X-ray source and said scanning means for sequentially exposing said detector to X-rays from said source after their passage through a patient and then scanning said thin light beam in a regular raster pattern over the surface of said photoconductive layer; signal acquisition means operably connected and responsive to said detector for reading out the latent image on said detector while it is scanned by said light beam; video display means connected and responsive to said signal acquisition means for displaying the latent image readout of said detector.

Claim 20

A system as in claim 16 wherein said screening system is a chest X-ray system.

Claim 21

A system as in claim 17 wherein said detector is exposed to an X-ray dosage that does not exceed 150 mR per exposure.

Claim 22

A system as in claim 17 including storage means connected and responsive to the signal acquisition means for storing the latent images on an archival medium.