Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

Claim 1

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: i) circulating and conveying means for conveying a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets along a predetermined circulation path, ii) an image recording section positioned in said circulation path for recording the radiation image of an object on each of said stimulable phosphor sheets by exposing each said stimulable phosphor sheet to radiation passing through said object, iii) an image read-out section positioned in 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 photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet when scanned by said stimulating rays, to obtain an electrical image signal, iv) an erasing section positioned in 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 read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining in said stimulable phosphor sheet, v) energy level detecting means for detecting the level of residual radiation energy in said stimulable phosphor sheet when ejected from said erasing section, and vi) control means for receiving the output of said energy level detecting means and controlling said circulating and conveying means so that, when a stimulable phosphor sheet detected to exhibit a residual radiation level exceeding a predetermined value is fed to said image recording section, said control means causes said circulating and conveying means to operate without stopping said stimulable phosphor sheet at said recording section, to thereby pass said sheet through said image recording section without subjecting said sheet to image recording.