JPH0731371B2 - Radiation image information recording / reading device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention stores and records radiation image information on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and then irradiates it with excitation light to stimulate irradiation according to the image information stored and recorded. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radiation image information recording / reading device that detects emitted light and reads image information and converts it into an electric signal, and more particularly to a radiation image information recording / reading device that can downsize the entire device.

(Prior Art) When a certain kind of phosphor is irradiated with radiation (X-ray, α-ray, β-ray, γ-ray, electron beam, ultraviolet ray, etc.), a part of this radiation energy is accumulated in the phosphor, It is known that when a phosphor is irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, the phosphor exhibits stimulated emission depending on the stored energy, and a phosphor having such a property is a stimulable phosphor (luminescent material). Exhaustible phosphor).

Using this stimulable phosphor, radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is once recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is two-dimensionally scanned with excitation light such as laser light. To generate an image signal by photoelectrically reading the obtained photostimulated light with a photodetector, and based on the image signal, a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material or a display device such as a CRT. The applicant has already proposed a radiation image information recording / reproducing system that outputs a radiation image of a subject as a visible image. (JP-A-55-12429, JP-A-56-11395, etc.) This system is practical in that it can record an image over an extremely wide radiation exposure area as compared with a conventional radiographic system using silver salt photography. Have advantages. That is, in the stimulable phosphor, it has been recognized that the amount of emitted light stimulated by excitation after storage is proportional to the radiation exposure amount over a very wide range,
Therefore, even if the radiation exposure amount fluctuates considerably due to various photographing conditions, the amount of stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet is read by the photoelectric conversion means by setting the reading gain to an appropriate value. A radiation image that is not affected by fluctuations in radiation exposure is obtained by converting it into an electrical signal and using this electrical signal to output a radiation image as a visible image on a recording material such as a photographic photosensitive material or a display device such as a CRT. be able to.

In the above-mentioned radiation image information recording / reproducing system, the stimulable phosphor sheet does not finally record image information, but temporarily carries image information in order to give an image to the final recording medium as described above. Therefore, this stimulable phosphor sheet may be used repeatedly, and if it is used repeatedly, it is extremely economical.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has proposed to a radiation image information recording / reading apparatus that realizes efficient circulating reuse of the stimulable phosphor (for example, JP-A-58-200269).

The above-mentioned apparatus includes a support, a recording body comprising a stimulable phosphor layer fixed on the support and capable of storing and recording a radiation image, and the recording body by irradiating the recording body with radiation through a subject. An image recording unit for accumulating and recording a radiation transmission image of a subject, an excitation light source for emitting excitation light for scanning the recording body on which the radiation image is accumulatively recorded, and a recording medium scanned by the excitation light. An image reading section having photoelectric reading means for reading stimulated emission light to obtain an image signal, and the support and the image reading section are relatively repeatedly moved to read the recording body on the support. And a means for cyclically moving the recording medium after the image is read by the image reading unit, and discharging the residual radiation energy on the recording medium before the image is recorded on the recording medium. Built an erasing unit to one unit,
The recording medium is adapted to be efficiently recycled and reused.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, the radiation image information recording / reading apparatus is extremely suitably used mainly for medical diagnosis,
In recent years, there is an increasing demand for making the entire device as small as possible. That is, if the device is large,
The device can only be installed and used in the central part of a relatively large hospital, but if the device is downsized, it can be installed and used in each diagnostic room by a medical practitioner, etc. Will spread greatly. However, the conventional recording / reading apparatus that circulates and reuses the sheet as described above is not necessarily proposed on the premise of reducing the size of the apparatus to the above level. Various practical inconveniences, such as not satisfying the above-mentioned requirements, and some requiring a sheet circulation moving means and a moving means for sub-scanning at the time of reading, which makes the internal moving mechanism complicated as a whole, etc. was there.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a radiation image information recording / reading device that can effectively reduce the size of the entire device and can also simplify the internal mechanism. The purpose is.

(Means for Solving Problems) A radiation image information recording / reading apparatus of the present invention is a stimulable phosphor sheet, and a radiation image of a subject is accumulated and recorded on the sheet by irradiating the sheet with radiation. Image recording means, excitation light scanning means for scanning the sheet on which the radiation image is accumulated and recorded by excitation light deflected by an optical deflector, and photoelectrically detecting stimulated emission light emitted from the scanning position of the excitation light. A reading and erasing unit, which is an integrated unit of image reading means including photoelectric reading means for reading the radiation image and erasing means for erasing the radiation energy remaining on the read sheet. The erasing unit is composed of unit moving means for reciprocating in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of the excitation light, and the photoelectric reading means, The sheet has a light-receiving surface extending along a scanning line by the excitation light, and has a long photomultiplier arranged close to the sheet, and the sheet is at a photographing position facing the image recording unit. The reading and erasing unit is reciprocated so as to face the sheet held at the photographing position, the image information is read by the image reading means on the outward path, and the erasing means performs the erasing on the return path. It is a feature.

As the photoelectric reading means, a fluorescent light-condensing sheet and its side end face which are made of a sheet-shaped plastic containing a phosphor and are arranged in a direction to receive the stimulated emission light on the surface along a scanning line by the excitation light. It is also possible to use a photodetector connected to the.

(Operation) According to this device, the stimulable phosphor sheet is held at the photographing position, and the reading / erasing unit formed by integrally integrating the image reading means and the erasing means is reciprocally moved with respect to the sheet to read and By erasing, the length of the device in the unit moving direction can be reduced to a length close to that of one sheet, and the entire device can be made compact. Further, the sub-scanning of the excitation light and the irradiation of the erasing light to the entire surface of the sheet at the time of reading can be alternately performed only by reciprocating the unit, so that the moving means in the apparatus can be simplified. . Furthermore, since the erasing means irradiates the entire surface of the sheet while moving so as to face the sheet, a smaller size is sufficient as compared with the case where the entire surface of the sheet is irradiated with the erasing light at once. Further, since the long photomultiplier as described above and the combination of the fluorescent light collecting sheet and the small photodetector are used as the photoelectric reading means, the unit can be made more compact and the entire device can be made smaller. Can be converted.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 (a) and 1 (b) are side views showing the outline of a radiation image information recording / reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This apparatus comprises an apparatus main body 1 and a radiation source 12 such as an X-ray source arranged above the imaging table 11 which is the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and the lower surface of the imaging table 11 inside the apparatus main body is The stimulable phosphor sheet 2 is fixedly held. The stimulable phosphor sheet 2 is a stimulable phosphor layer 2B on a radiation transmissive substrate 2A.
And the imaging table 11 is also transparent to radiation. The stimulable phosphor sheet 2 may be one in which a phosphor layer is directly formed on the lower surface of the imaging table 11. In this apparatus, the radiation source 12 and the imaging stand 11 constitute an image recording means 10.

Below the sheet 2, an image reading means 20 and an erasing means 30 are provided.
Is provided in close proximity to each other and is integrally housed in the housing 3 to form a unit, and the reading and erasing unit 4 is provided. The reading and erasing unit 4 is located at the right end position (the first position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1A). 1 position) to the left end position (second position) shown by the solid line in FIG. 1B while facing the seat 2. In this embodiment, the first
The moving path in the direction of arrow A from the position # 2 to the second position is the forward path, and the moving path in the direction of arrow A'from the second position to the first position is the return path. The unit moving means 40 for reciprocating the reading / erasing unit 4 includes, for example, a screw rod 41 extending in the moving direction of the unit, a unit support portion 42 fitted to the screw rod 41, and a gear 43 axially supported by the screw rod. , The gear that meshes with this gear 43
44, a motor 45 for rotating the gear 44 in both the forward and reverse directions. The motor 45 rotates the screw rod 41 via the gears 33, 34 to rotate the unit support portion 42.
Is moved to move the unit 4 back and forth.

When the subject 13 is placed on the imaging table 11 of the image recording means 10, the radiation source 12 is activated, the transmitted radiation image of the subject 13 is projected onto the sheet 2, and the radiation image information of the subject is fluorescence of the sheet 2. It is stored and recorded in the body layer 2B. When the photographing is completed, the image reading means 20 in the unit 4 reads the image information accumulated and recorded on the sheet 2.

The image reading means 20 includes an excitation light source 21 such as a semiconductor laser, a condenser lens 22 provided on the optical path on the excitation light 21A emitted from the excitation light source, and the excitation light 21 passing through the condenser lens 22.
Excitation light scanning consisting of a rotating polygon mirror 23, which is an optical deflector for deflecting A in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 to perform main scanning on the sheet 2, and mirrors 24a, 24b, 24c for changing the optical path of excitation light. Means, and the excitation light scanning means 21
A is repeatedly main-scanned on the sheet 2. On the other hand, along with this, the unit 4 is conveyed at a constant speed in the direction of arrow A by the unit moving means 40, the scanning position of the excitation light 21A moves in the direction of arrow A, and sub-scanning is performed, and the sheet 2 is moved. Excitation light 21 over almost the entire surface
A is irradiated. From the excitation light irradiation portion of the sheet 2, stimulated emission light is generated according to the stored and recorded image information, and this stimulated emission light is detected by the photoelectric reading means of the image reading means 20.

The photoelectric reading means in this device is composed of a long photomultiplier tube (photomultiplier) 25 extending in the main scanning direction over the length of the main scanning line, and this photomultiplier.
A filter 27, which is provided on the light receiving surface of 25, selectively transmits only stimulated emission light and cuts off the excitation light reflected on the sheet surface from entering the photomultiplier, and the photomultiplier via this filter 27. It consists of a condenser plate 26 that is attached to the entrance end face of 25 and collects stimulated emission light well.
25 has an electrode structure called a Venetian blind type as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) as an example. Further, a mirror 29 is arranged at a position facing the photoelectric reading means across the scanning line so that the stimulated emission light emitted to the mirror 29 side can be efficiently reflected toward the light receiving surface of the light collector. Has become. The photomultiplier 25, the main body 25A has a cylindrical shape, the photocathode 25b is provided along the main body 25A facing the light receiving surface 25a, a plurality of dynodes 25c below the photocathode 25b. It is piled up via the insulating member 25d and is fixed by the pin 25e.
constitutes f. Each of the dynodes 25c is formed in a blind shape in which a large number of U-shaped cuts are formed in one conductive plate. This multiplier 25
Below f, a shield electrode 25g is fixed by a pin 25e via an insulating member 25d, and an anode 25h is provided inside the shield electrode 25g. These electrodes are electrically connected to the terminals of the terminal group 25i provided at the end of the main body 25A in a one-to-one correspondence.

FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit 50 for driving the photomultiplier 25 to take out a photoelectric output. The parts corresponding to the parts of the photomultiplier 25 are designated by the same reference numerals. A high negative voltage is applied to the photocathode 25b through the negative high voltage applying terminal 50a. Also, the negative high voltage application terminal 50
The high negative voltage applied to a is applied to the dynode 25c divided by the bleeder resistance group 50b. The shield electrode 25g is grounded and the anode 25h is a resistor.
It is grounded through 50c and is input to one terminal of the amplifier 50d. The other terminal of the amplifier 50d is grounded, and the image information photoelectrically converted is taken out as an electric signal from the output terminal 50e. The shield electrode 25g is not always necessary and may not be provided. After the necessary image processing is performed on the extracted image signal, CR
It is sent to a recording / reproducing device that performs optical scanning recording on a display such as T or a photosensitive film. When the reading of the image information is completed, the reading / erasing unit 4 has moved to the second position as shown by the broken line in FIG.

When the reading of the image information is completed as described above, the reading and erasing unit 4 is conveyed from the second position to the first position in the direction of the arrow A ', as shown in FIG.
Is an erasing means 30 in the unit 4 conveyed in the direction of arrow A '.
Thus, the entire surface is irradiated with the erasing light. The erasing means 30 is, for example, an erasing light source 31 such as a fluorescent lamp extending in the main scanning direction,
A reflection plate 32 for reflecting downward light of the light emitted from the erasing light source 31 to the sheet surface side is provided. Further, in this embodiment, since the erasing light source 31 is always turned on, the erasing light is present on the erasing light source 31 as shown in FIG. 1A when performing image recording and reading. A movable shutter 33 is provided which exposes the erasing light source 31 by retracting onto the photomultiplier as shown in FIG. 1 (b) only while the light is shielded and the erasing is performed. If the erasing light source 31 is turned on only during erasing and is turned off at other times, the moving shutter need not be provided. The erasing light source 31 illuminates the entire surface of the sheet 2 as the unit 4 moves in the arrow A'direction. The erasing light source 31 mainly emits light in the excitation wavelength region of the sheet, and the radiation energy remaining on the sheet 2 after the image reading is emitted from the sheet by irradiating the sheet 2 with such light. To be done. The erased sheet 2 is again ready for new recording by the image recording means, and the reading / erasing unit 4 is returned to the first position again.

As described above, according to the apparatus of this embodiment, the sheet is fixedly held facing the image recording means, the image reading means and the erasing means are integrally formed as a reading and erasing unit, and this unit is reciprocally moved to read and erase the image. By doing
The width of the device can be reduced to nearly one sheet. In particular, the reading and erasing unit in the present embodiment can further reduce the size of the unit and the entire device by using a long photomultiplier as the photoelectric reading unit, and the optical path of the excitation light can be reduced by the photoelectric reading unit. By arranging below the erasing means, the width of the unit itself can be made extremely small. Further, since the reading / erasing switching and the sub-scanning are completed only by reciprocally moving the reading / erasing unit, the moving mechanism of the entire apparatus can be simplified.

The long photomultiplier of the photoelectric reading unit is not necessarily limited to the above-mentioned Venetian blind type, but may be a multiplying unit composed of other types of conventionally known electrodes such as a box type, or a plurality of types. It can be prepared by extending a photomultiplier provided with a multiplication part formed by combining electrodes. Further, the specific configuration of each means of the apparatus is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment. Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The apparatus of the present embodiment is configured to read and erase image information from the same surface side of the sheet 2 as the surface to which the radiation is applied. Therefore, the sheet 2 has the substrate 2A ′ on the lower side,
The phosphor layer 2B is fixed and held by a sheet holding means (not shown) with the phosphor layer 2B facing upward. In this case, of course, the substrate
2A 'need not be radiolucent. The reading / erasing unit 4 reciprocates between the sheet 2 and the photographing table 11 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Although the unit moving means for moving the unit 4 is not particularly shown, for example, the length of the unit 4 in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 4 is formed to be slightly larger than the length of the sheet 2, and the side end thereof is described above. The same moving means as in the above embodiment may be connected. The optical path of the excitation light 21A in the reading and erasing unit 4 of the present apparatus is mainly formed on the side of the photoelectric reading means 120 and the erasing means 30 which will be described later. Although the length in the direction becomes slightly large, it is effective in reducing the length in the vertical direction of the device.

In this device, a combination of a fluorescent condensing sheet 126 made of a sheet-shaped molded product containing a phosphor and a photodetector 125 is used as the photoelectric reading means. A perspective view and a sectional view showing the structure of this photoelectric reading means are shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b).

When the surface of the fluorescent light condensing sheet 126 is irradiated with light, the light excites the fluorescent substance inside the fluorescent light condensing sheet to generate fluorescence 127, and this fluorescence repeats total internal reflection. Proceed to the end face side. Therefore, from the end face of this fluorescent light-condensing sheet, so-called fluorescence is emitted with high intensity in a form where energy of stimulated emission light is collected. Since the amount of the emitted fluorescent light 127 corresponds to the amount of the stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet 2, the fluorescent light condensing sheet 126.
If the photodetector 125 is attached to the end face of the and the amount of fluorescent light is detected, the stimulated emission light can be indirectly detected. Further, since the photodetector 125 may have a small light receiving surface, it is possible to obtain a read image signal with a good S / N. Therefore, in the present embodiment, first, as shown in the figure, the fluorescent condensing sheet 126 is formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and a slit 126a for passing the excitation light 21A is formed at the upper end thereof, and this slit 126a is formed.
Is arranged along the main scanning position of the excitation light 21A so as to be located thereabove so as to extend in the main scanning direction, and the sheet 2 is scanned by the excitation light 21A passing through the slit 126a. At the same time, the stimulated emission light emitted from the sheet 2 is received by the inner surface 126e thereof. As the fluorescent light condensing sheet 126 in the present embodiment, as an example, one that mainly receives stimulated emission light having a wavelength of about 400 nm and emits fluorescence having a wavelength of 500 nm is selectively used. Such a fluorescent light-condensing sheet is, for example, in Japan, a sheet-shaped plastic in which an organic phosphor is dispersedly contained and sold by Bayer Japan under the trade name of "LISA-Plastic". Further, one photodetector 125 is connected to each end face of the fluorescent light condensing sheet 126 so as to detect the above-mentioned fluorescence. The outputs of these two photodetectors 125 are added and input to the reading circuit. This photodetector 125 is, for example, C
The solid-state semiconductor element of the CD type, and the photodetector 125 including the solid-state semiconductor element generally has a reduced spectral sensitivity characteristic on the short wavelength side.
In 126, the stimulated emission light with a wavelength of about 400 nm is mainly converted into fluorescence with a wavelength of about 500 nm, so to speak, so that the photodetector 125 can detect the stimulated emission light with high sensitivity.
Between the side end face and the photodetector 125, the fluorescent light collecting sheet 1
It is preferable to provide a filter that transmits the fluorescence emitted by 26 while cutting off the reflected light of the excitation light 21A on the stimulable phosphor sheet 2. Specific examples of the phosphor contained in the fluorescent light condensing sheet are disclosed in JP-A-56-36549 and JP-A-56-36549.
-104987, JP-A-58-111886, JP-A-59-893
Examples thereof include organic phosphors such as coumarin derivatives, thioxanthene derivatives, perylene derivatives, and poron complexes described in JP-B No. 02-242.

The specific shape and arrangement of the fluorescent light condensing sheet is
Not limited to those shown in the above embodiments, any surface may be used as long as the surface extends along the main scanning line and the stimulated emission light emitted from the scanning position can be detected.
For example, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), an elongated rectangular fluorescent light condensing sheet having slits 126a 'extending in the main scanning direction.
126 ′ may be arranged facing the scanning line, or a rectangular fluorescent light condensing sheet 126 ″ may be arranged obliquely as shown in FIG. The detection may be performed while reflecting the stimulated emission light emitted to the fluorescent condensing sheet 126 ″. Further, it is not always necessary to provide two photodetectors on both end faces, and only one photodetector may be provided on one end. In this case, a vapor deposition film of aluminum or the like, a metal surface, or a reflecting member such as white paint may be attached to the end surface on the side where the photodetector is not provided. In addition to the photodetectors described above, photodetectors and PIN detectors are also available.
A photodiode, a conventionally known small-sized photomultiplier, or the like may be used. Furthermore SIT, CC
When a pixel division type sensor such as a D or MOS type solid state semiconductor device is used, signal processing such as integration is performed.

In the two embodiments described above, a long photomultiplier is used when image information is read from the surface of the sheet opposite to the radiation irradiation side, and the same side as the radiation irradiation side is used. I explained an example of using a fluorescent light condensing sheet and a photodetector when reading from the surface,
When both photoelectric reading units are used, the reading surfaces may be opposite. That is, the reading / erasing unit including the long photomultiplier shown in FIG. 1 is arranged between the photographing table and the sheet as in the reading / erasing unit shown in FIG. 4, and is the same as the radiation irradiation surface of the sheet. The reading and erasing may be performed from the side, or the reading and erasing unit having the fluorescent light condensing sheet shown in FIG. 4 may be arranged below the sheet in the same manner as the reading and erasing unit shown in FIG. The data may be erased by reading from the surface opposite to the radiation-irradiated surface. The reading / erasing unit does not necessarily have to be arranged on one side of the sheet, and may be provided on both sides of the sheet so as to face each other. For example, 7th
As shown in a side view and a front view in FIGS. (A) and (b), an excitation light source 21 such as a semiconductor laser is provided below the sheet 2 formed by forming the stimulable phosphor layer 2B on the transparent substrate 2A. The excitation light scanning means and the erasing means 30 provided with the rotary polygon mirror 23 and the like are housed in the housing 3 ', and the sheet 2 is sandwiched between the excitation light scanning means and the erasing means 30. A photoelectric reading means composed of the fluorescent condensing sheet 126 ″ and the photodetector 125 may be arranged. The photoelectric reading means is integrated with the housing 3 ′ by the supporting means 5 provided on the side of the sheet 2. The reading and erasing unit 4 ″ in the apparatus of this embodiment is composed of various means in the housing 3 ′, photoelectric reading means, and supporting means 5. The sheet 2 is irradiated with the excitation light 21A from the surface opposite to the radiation irradiation surface, and emits stimulated emission light,
Of this stimulated emission light, the light emitted above the sheet is condensed by the fluorescent condensing sheet 126 ″ and is transmitted to the photodetector 125.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the radiation image information recording / reading apparatus of the present invention, the sheet is fixed and reciprocally moved with respect to the sheet. By providing the unitized reading / erasing unit, the entire apparatus can be made compact and the internal moving mechanism can be simplified. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily install this kind of recording / reading apparatus even in a small-scale medical institution where it has been difficult to install, and the range of use of the apparatus can be greatly expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are side views showing the outline of a radiation image information recording / reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are of a Venetian blind type photomultiplier. FIG. 3 is a perspective view and a sectional view taken along line II, FIG. 3 is a drive circuit diagram of the photomultiplier, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing an outline of a radiation image information recording / reading apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. (A) and (b) are perspective views and sectional views of a photoelectric reading means using a fluorescent light-condensing sheet, and FIGS. 6 (a) and (b) are schematic views showing other examples of the fluorescent light-condensing sheet. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the present invention (a),
(B) is a side view and a front view, respectively. 2 ... Accumulable phosphor sheet, 3 ... Housing 4 ... Read / erase unit, 10 ... Image recording means 12 ... Radiation source 20, 120 ... Image reading means, 21A ... Excitation light 23 ... Rotating polygon mirror 25 …… Photomultiplier 30 …… Erasing means 40 …… Unit moving means, 125 …… Photodetector 126 …… Fluorescent condensing sheet

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP 58-66935 (JP, A) JP 59-202099 (JP, A) JP 63-121834 (JP, A) JP 62- 119537 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stimulable phosphor sheet, image recording means for accumulating and recording a radiation image of an object on the sheet by irradiating the sheet with radiation through the object, and optically deflecting the sheet on which the radiation image is accumulatively recorded. Image reading means comprising excitation light scanning means for scanning with excitation light deflected by a device and photoelectric reading means for photoelectrically detecting stimulated emission light emitted from the scanning position of the excitation light to read the radiation image. , And a reading and erasing unit which is an integrated erasing unit for erasing the radiation energy remaining on the read sheet, and the reading and erasing unit reciprocates in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of the excitation light. The photoelectric reading unit has a light-receiving surface extending along a scanning line by the excitation light, A long photomultiplier arranged close to the sheet, the sheet is held at a photographing position facing the image recording unit, and the reading / erasing unit is arranged on the sheet held at the photographing position. A radiation image information recording / reading device, which is reciprocally moved opposite to each other, wherein image information is read by the image reading means on the outward path, and erased by the erasing means on the return path. 2. A stimulable phosphor sheet, image recording means for accumulating and recording a radiation image of an object on the sheet by irradiating the sheet with radiation through the object, and optically deflecting the sheet on which the radiation image is accumulatively recorded. Image reading means comprising excitation light scanning means for scanning with excitation light deflected by a device and photoelectric reading means for photoelectrically detecting stimulated emission light emitted from the scanning position of the excitation light to read the radiation image. , And a reading and erasing unit which is an integrated erasing unit for erasing the radiation energy remaining on the read sheet, and the reading and erasing unit reciprocates in a direction substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction of the excitation light. The photoelectric reading means is made of a sheet-shaped plastic containing a fluorescent substance, and is driven by the excitation light. A fluorescent light condensing sheet arranged in a direction to receive the stimulated emission light on its surface along a scanning line and a photodetector connected to its side end face, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is the image recording medium. The reading / erasing unit is reciprocally moved so as to be opposed to the stimulable phosphor sheet held at the photographing position while being held at the photographing position facing the means, and the image information is read by the image reading means on the outward path. A radiation image information recording / reading device, characterized in that erasing is performed by the erasing means on the return path.