JP2008083238A - Radiation image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radiographic device capable of efficiently carrying out whole of photographic processing and reading processing of a radiation image with simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: The image reader 26 includes a cassette loading part 38 to/from which a cassette 24 for housing a storage type phosphor panel P is freely attached/detached and from which at least a part of the cassette 24 is exposed to the outside of a casing 36. The cassette loading part 38 includes a shielding cover member 76 arranged between at least an X-ray source and the cassette 24 exposed to the outside of the casing 36, shielding the cassette 24 from the X-ray source and also housing it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiation image reading apparatus that reads the radiation image information from a radiation conversion panel in which the radiation image information of a subject is recorded.

  For example, when a certain type of phosphor is irradiated with radiation (X-ray, α-ray, β-ray, γ-ray, ultraviolet ray, electron beam, etc.), a part of the energy of this radiation is accumulated in the phosphor, and then the fluorescence When the body is irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, stimulated emission light corresponding to the accumulated energy is output.

  An imaging device that temporarily stores and records radiation image information of a subject such as a human body in the stimulable phosphor panel using the stimulable phosphor panel (radiation conversion panel) using such a phosphor, and radiation image information Scanning the stimulable phosphor panel recorded and recorded with excitation light, photoelectrically reading the resulting stimulated emission light to obtain an image signal, and processing this image signal to obtain an image with excellent diagnostic suitability Equipment has been developed.

  Note that the stimulable phosphor panel from which the radiation image information has been read can be used repeatedly by irradiating the erasing light including light in the excitation light wavelength region of the phosphor and erasing the remaining radiation image information. . Accordingly, some of the readers incorporate an erasing device that performs an erasing process by irradiating the storable phosphor panel with erasing light.

  By the way, when the radiographic image information recorded on the stimulable phosphor panel is read by the reading device, when the imaging device performs imaging, the radiation emitted from the radiation source enters the reading device. There is a risk. In order to solve this type of problem, a radiation image reading apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

  As shown in FIG. 7, this radiographic image reading apparatus is provided with a housing 2 on a pedestal 1 and panels in which imaging panels 3a and 3b are provided on both surfaces of a radiation shielding member 3c. The assembly 3 is disposed in proximity to the grit 4. The inside of the housing 2 is covered with a radiation shielding member 5 except for the grit 3.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-326600 (FIG. 5)

  By the way, the stimulable phosphor panel is often housed and handled in a radiation cassette, and a configuration in which the radiation cassette is directly loaded into an imaging device or a reading device is employed. At that time, the reading apparatus employs a configuration in which the radiation cassette is loaded with the end of the radiation cassette, that is, the panel insertion / removal opening facing the inside of the apparatus. This is because the overall size of the reading apparatus can be reduced, and the workability for attaching and detaching the cassette is improved.

  However, if a part of the radiation cassette is exposed to the outside of the reading apparatus, the radiation cassette may be irradiated when the radiation is exposed by the imaging apparatus. As a result, there is a problem in that radiation is applied to the stimulable phosphor panel in the radiation cassette, or the stimulable phosphor panel in the reader is irradiated through the radiation cassette.

  Therefore, during the radiation image reading process of the stimulable phosphor panel in the reading device, it is necessary to regulate the radiation exposure by the imaging device. For this reason, there is a problem that the entire radiographic image capturing process and reading process are not efficiently performed.

  The present invention solves this type of problem, and an object thereof is to provide a radiographic image capturing apparatus capable of efficiently performing the entire radiographic image capturing process and reading process with a simple configuration. .

  The present invention relates to a radiation image reading apparatus that reads the radiation image information from a radiation conversion panel in which the radiation image information of a subject is recorded.

  The radiographic image reading apparatus includes a cassette loading unit in which a radiation cassette that houses a radiation conversion panel is detachable and at least a part of the radiation cassette is exposed to the outside of the apparatus. The cassette loading unit is provided with a shielding cover member that is disposed between at least the radiation source and the radiation cassette exposed to the outside of the apparatus, shields the radiation cassette from the radiation source, and can be stored. .

  An interlock releasing means for setting an interlock between the shielding cover member and the radiation source and enabling radiation from the radiation source when the shielding cover member shields the radiation cassette. It is preferable to provide.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the radiation image reading device and the radiation source are configured to be mounted on a carriage and transportable.

  In the present invention, when the radiation cassette is loaded into the radiation reading apparatus, the shielding cover member is deployed and disposed at least between the radiation source and the radiation cassette. Accordingly, since the radiation cassette is shielded from the radiation source by the shielding cover member, the radiation conversion panel can be read in the radiation reading apparatus while performing imaging processing by irradiating the radiation from the radiation source. . Thereby, it is possible to efficiently perform the entire radiographic image capturing process and reading process with a simple configuration.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a radiographic image forming system 10 incorporating a radiographic image reading apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The radiation image forming system 10 is configured to be transportable to a hospital room or the like while being placed on the carriage 12.

  The cart 12 receives imaging information for imaging radiographic image information or the like, or a console 14 having a display for acquisition from the outside, and an X-ray source 16 according to the imaging information supplied from the console 14. An X-ray source control device 22 for controlling and irradiating the subject 18 with X-rays 20 and a stimulable phosphor panel (radiation conversion panel) on which radiation image information is recorded by irradiating the subject 18 with X-rays 20 ) A reading device (radiation image reading device according to the first embodiment) 26 for reading radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor panel P, loaded with a cassette (radiation cassette) 24 containing P, and a stimulable phosphor While transmitting the radiation image information read from the panel P to the outside, the transceiver 28 for acquiring necessary information from the outside, the console 14, and the X-ray source 16 X-ray source control unit 22, a battery 27 for supplying power to the reader 26 and the transceiver 28 is placed.

  The X-ray source 16 is connected to the X-ray source control device 22 via an arm member 29. A charger 31 is connected to the battery 27, and the battery 27 can be charged as necessary.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cassette 24 loaded in the reading device 26 has an openable / closable lid member 30 and a barcode (not shown) on which ID information for identifying the cassette 24 is recorded. Yes.

  The reading device 26 includes a cassette loading unit 38 on the upper portion of the casing 36. The cassette 24 storing the stimulable phosphor panel P in which the radiation image information is recorded is loaded into the cassette loading portion 38 with the lid member 30 facing down, and the upper side of the cassette 24 is exposed to the outside of the casing 36. .

  The cassette loading unit 38 includes a barcode reader 42 that reads a barcode attached to the cassette 24, an unlocking mechanism 46 that unlocks the lid member 30 of the cassette 24, and the stimulable phosphor panel P from the cassette 24. An adsorbing plate 48 that adsorbs and takes out and a nip roller 50 that sandwiches and conveys the stimulable phosphor panel P taken out by the adsorbing plate 48 are disposed.

  A plurality of transport rollers 52 a to 52 g and a plurality of guide plates 54 a to 54 f are arranged in series with the nip roller 50, and a curved transport path 56 is configured by these. The curved conveyance path 56 between the conveyance rollers 52c and 52d constitutes a width-shifting portion that brings the stimulable phosphor panel P in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.

  Between the nip roller 50 and the transport roller 52a, an erasing unit 60 for erasing the radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor panel P that has been read is disposed. The erasing unit 60 has a plurality of erasing light sources 62 composed of cold cathode tubes that output erasing light.

  A platen roller 64 is disposed between the transport rollers 52d and 52e disposed at the lowermost portion of the curved transport path 56. A scanning unit 66 that reads radiation image information accumulated and recorded on the stimulable phosphor panel P is disposed above the platen roller 64.

  The scanning unit 66 derives a laser beam LB that is excitation light and scans the stimulable phosphor panel P in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and radiation emitted by being excited by the laser beam LB. A condensing guide 70 for condensing the photostimulated luminescent light associated with the image information, and a photomultiplier 72 for converting the photostimulated luminescent light collected by the condensing guide 70 into an electrical signal are provided. A condensing mirror 74 for increasing the condensing efficiency of the photostimulated luminescent light is disposed adjacent to one end of the condensing guide 70.

  The cassette loading unit 38 is disposed between at least the X-ray source 16 and the cassette 24 exposed to the outside of the casing 36 to shield the cassette 24 from the X-ray source 16 and store the shielding cover member. 76 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover member 76 has one end fixed to the upper one end side of the casing 36 and is folded and accommodated in a blind shape (or hood shape). The cover member 76 is composed of various metal curtains in addition to a lead curtain in order to prevent the X-rays from being irradiated to the cassette 24.

  A locking portion 78 is provided at the other end of the cover member 76, and this locking portion 78 is located at the other upper end of the casing 36 when the cover member 76 is unfolded and covers the cassette 24. It is fixable to the fixing | fixed part 80 provided in the side. In the casing 36, for example, a sensor 82 is provided which is disposed in the vicinity of the fixing portion 80 and electrically detects that the locking portion 78 is attached to the fixing portion 80.

  FIG. 4 shows a control block of the radiation imaging system 10. Connected to the X-ray source control device 22 is an X-ray irradiation switch 84 that drives the X-ray source 16 by an operator's operation and irradiates the subject 18 with the X-ray 20.

  The reading device 26 includes a reading device control unit 86. Connected to the reader controller 86 are a power switch 88 of the reader 26, a barcode reader 42, a scanning unit controller 90 for controlling the scanning unit 66, an erasing unit controller 92 for controlling the erasing unit 60, and a sensor 82. Is done.

  The reader control unit 86 is an interlock for releasing the interlock of the X-ray source 16 based on a signal from the barcode reader 42 (information on the presence / absence of the cassette 24) and a signal from the sensor 82 (deployment information on the cover member 76). The cancellation | release means 94 is comprised.

  The operation of the radiation image forming system 10 configured as described above will be described below.

  First, the operator moves the radiographic image forming system 10 through the carriage 12 to the photographing location of the subject 18, for example, a hospital room, and then includes the console 14 and the reading device 26 that constitute the radiographic image forming system 10. Turn on the power.

  Next, the console 14 is operated to input imaging information such as the name and imaging method of the subject 18, select the cassette 24 for recording the radiographic image information of the subject 18, and select the barcode attached to the cassette 24. By reading, the ID information of the cassette 24 is acquired. Thus, the shooting information and the ID information of the cassette 24 are set, and the shooting preparation is completed.

  After the preparation for imaging is completed, the cassette 24 is set to a predetermined position, and the X-ray source 16 is set to a predetermined position via the arm member 29, and then the operator operates the X-ray irradiation switch 84. For this reason, the X-ray source control device 22 drives the X-ray source 16 so that the subject 18 is irradiated with the X-rays 20 and X-ray imaging is performed. The X-rays 20 that have passed through the subject 18 are irradiated onto the stimulable phosphor panel P housed in the cassette 24, and radiation image information is accumulated and recorded.

  Next, the cassette 24 that houses the stimulable phosphor panel P on which the radiation image information is recorded is loaded into the reader 26, and the cover member 76 is unfolded from the housed state (see the solid line in FIG. 2). And after the latching | locking part 78 is fixed to the fixing | fixed part 80 provided in the casing 36, the reading and erasing process of radiation image information is performed.

  That is, when the cassette 24 is loaded in the cassette loading unit 38 of the reading device 26 with the lid member 30 facing down, the barcode reader 42 reads the barcode of the cassette 24 and ID information of the cassette 24 is acquired. Next, after the lid member 30 is unlocked by the lock release mechanism 46 and the lid member 30 is opened, the stimulable phosphor panel P is adsorbed and taken out by the suction disk 48 and supplied to the nip roller 50. The nip roller 50 sandwiches the stimulable phosphor panel P and supplies it to the curved conveyance path 56. Conveying rollers 52a to 52g constituting the curved conveying path 56 convey the stimulable phosphor panel P.

  The stimulable phosphor panel P is sub-scanned and transported between the transport rollers 52d and 52e, and the laser beam LB from the excitation unit 68 performs main scanning on the stimulable phosphor panel P, so that radiation image information is read. Is called.

  That is, when the stimulable phosphor panel P is irradiated with the laser beam LB output from the excitation unit 68, the stimulable phosphor light corresponding to the radiation image information is output from the stimulable phosphor panel P. This stimulated emission light is guided to the photomultiplier 72 through the light collecting guide 70 and converted into radiation image information as an electrical signal. The read radiation image information is stored in a storage means (not shown) together with the ID information of the cassette 24 or is transmitted from the transceiver 28 to the indoor transceiver (not shown) via the console 14.

  The stimulable phosphor panel P from which the radiation image information has been read is once transported to the guide plate 54 f side, and then returned to the cassette loading unit 38 side again via the lower part of the scanning unit 66. The stimulable phosphor panel P returned to the cassette loading unit 38 side is stored with the stimulable fluorescence by the erase light output from the erase light source 62 constituting the erase unit 60 disposed between the nip roller 50 and the transport roller 52a. The radiation image information remaining on the body panel P is removed.

  The storable phosphor panel P, for which the remaining radiation image information has been erased, is housed in the cassette 24 using the nip roller 50 and the suction plate 48 and the lid member 30 is closed, and then used for the next imaging. The

  In this case, in the first embodiment, when the cassette 24 is loaded into the cassette loading unit 38, the barcode attached to the cassette 24 is read by the barcode reader 42, and the cassette 24 is Information loaded in the cassette loading unit 38 is sent to the interlock release means 94.

  Here, when the cover member 76 is folded, that is, in the housed state, the sensor 82 is not driven. For this reason, the X-ray source 16 is interlocked, and X-ray irradiation from the X-ray source 16 is regulated.

  Therefore, the operator unfolds the cover member 76 and fixes the locking portion 78 to the fixing portion 80, whereby an interlock release signal is sent from the sensor 82 to the interlock release means 94. Thereby, the interlock of the X-ray source 16 is released, and the radiation image information of the subject 18 is irradiated to the stimulable phosphor panel P accommodated in the desired cassette 24 under the driving action of the X-ray source 16. Then, the radiation image information is accumulated and recorded in the stimulable phosphor panel P.

  On the other hand, in the reading device 26, the radiographic image information stored and recorded in the stimulable phosphor panel P is read while performing the X-ray imaging.

  Thus, since the cassette 24 exposed to the outside of the reading device 26 is shielded from the X-ray source 16 by the cover member 76, the X-ray source 16 emits X-rays while performing the imaging process of the subject 18. Then, a reading process for the stimulable phosphor panel P is performed in the reading device 26. As a result, it is possible to efficiently perform the entire X-ray image photographing process and reading process with a simple configuration.

  Further, the X-ray source 16 can be driven via the interlock release means 94 only when the cassette 24 loaded in the reading device 26 is covered with the cover member 76 and shielded from the X-ray source 16. Become. For this reason, it is possible to reliably prevent the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray source 16 from being applied to the cassette 24 loaded in the reading device 26. Accordingly, there is an advantage that high-quality reading processing is reliably performed without irradiating the stimulable phosphor panel P in which reading processing is performed in the reading device 26 from the outside. .

  FIG. 5 is an internal configuration diagram of a reading apparatus (radiation image reading apparatus) 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same components as those of the reading device 26 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. Similarly, in the third embodiment described below, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The reading apparatus 100 includes a shielding cover member 102 that is wound and accommodated in a roll shape on the upper rear side (or front side) of the casing 36. The cover member 102 is provided with a locking portion 104 on the opened end side, and the cover member 102 is developed so that the end side is pulled out from the roll body.

  The locking portion 104 can be fixed to a fixing portion 106 provided on the upper front side (or rear side) of the casing 36, and information on the engagement between the locking portion 104 and the fixing portion 106 is obtained from a sensor 82. And is sent to the interlock release means 94 (see FIG. 4).

  FIG. 6 is an upper schematic perspective explanatory view of a reading apparatus 110 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  The reading device 110 includes a shielding cover member 112 attached to the upper portion of the casing 36. The cover member 112 is configured in a fan shape that can swing around a fulcrum 114, and in an unfolded state (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6), the cover member 112 covers one surface side of the cassette 24 and emits X-rays. Configured to block.

  A sensor (not shown) for detecting the unfolded state of the cover member 112 is provided. The sensor detects that the cover member 112 has reached a desired unfolded state, and the detection signal is an interlock release means 94. Sent to.

  As described above, in the second embodiment and the third embodiment, when the cassette 24 is loaded in the cassette loading unit 38 and the cover members 102 and 112 reach a desired deployed state, the X-ray source 16 The interlock is released. As a result, the same effects as in the first embodiment described above can be obtained, such as the X-ray imaging process and the radiographic image information reading process being performed simultaneously.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the cover members 76 and 102 are developed to cover both surfaces and the upper portion of the cassette 24, but the present invention is not limited to this. What is necessary is just to form a desired deployment state at least between the cassette 24 and the X-ray source 16, or the cover members 76 and 102 may be deployed so as to cover the entire surface of the cassette 24.

1 is a configuration diagram of a radiation image forming system incorporating a radiation image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is an internal block diagram of the said reader. It is a schematic perspective view of the upper part of the reading device. It is a control block diagram of a radiographic image forming system. It is an internal block diagram of the radiographic image reading apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective explanatory drawing of the upper part of the radiographic image reading apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the radiation image reading apparatus of Patent Document 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Radiation image forming system 12 ... Dolly 14 ... Console 16 ... X-ray source 18 ... Subject 20 ... X-ray 22 ... X-ray source control device 24 ... Cassette 26, 100, 110 ... Reading device 27 ... Battery 28 ... Transmitter / receiver 38 ... cassette loading section 60 ... erasing unit 66 ... scanning units 76, 102, 112 ... cover member 82 ... sensor 86 ... reading device control section 94 ... interlock release means P ... storage phosphor panel

Claims (3)

A radiographic image reading apparatus that reads the radiographic image information from a radiation conversion panel in which radiographic image information of a subject is recorded,
The radiological image reading apparatus includes a cassette loading unit that is detachable from a radiation cassette that houses the radiation conversion panel, and at least a part of the radiation cassette is exposed to the outside of the apparatus.
The cassette loading unit is provided with a shielding cover member that is disposed at least between the radiation source and the radiation cassette exposed to the outside of the apparatus, shields the radiation cassette from the radiation source, and can be stored. A radiation image reading apparatus characterized by the above. In the radiographic image reading device according to claim 1, while setting an interlock between said shielding cover member and said radiation source,
A radiographic image reading apparatus comprising: an interlock release unit that enables radiation from the radiation source when the shielding cover member shields the radiation cassette.   The radiographic image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiographic image reading apparatus and the radiation source are mounted on a carriage and configured to be transportable.

Images