JPH0990531A - Radiation image reading and erasing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately release energy remaining on a sheet, without reducing erasion efficiency, in a radiation image reading and erasing device for erasing simultaneously with reading. SOLUTION: A stimulative phosphor sheet 4 is constituted as a laminated body of a transparent substrate layer 4a and a stimulative phosphor layer 4b and erasing means 3 are provided on both surfaces of the sheet 4 respectively, thereby erasing energy imparted to the whole of the sheet 4 is increased and the erasion efficiency is improved. The characteristic of erasing light with which the sheet 4 is irradiated is previously changed by second and third filters 22a and 22b provided on the front and rear surfaces of the sheet 4 separately, based on the fact that the spectrum and intensity of the erasing light after propagation through the stimulative phosphor layer 4b are different from those after the propagation through the substrate layer 4a, to facilitate the separation of simulatedly emitted light from the erasing light propagated through the sheet by first filters provided in front of a reading means 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radiation image reading / erasing apparatus for reading and erasing a radiation image accumulated and recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and more particularly to erasing radiation energy remaining on the sheet while reading the radiation image. The present invention relates to a radiation image reading / erasing apparatus which performs so-called simultaneous reading / erasing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A part of this radiation energy is accumulated when it is irradiated with radiation, and when it is subsequently irradiated with excitation light such as visible light or laser light, a stimulable phosphor showing stimulated emission according to the accumulated radiation energy. (Stimulable phosphor)
Radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is temporarily stored and recorded on a sheet-shaped stimulable phosphor sheet in which the stimulable phosphor is laminated on a support, and then the sheet is scanned with excitation light such as laser light. The photostimulated luminescent light is photoelectrically read to obtain an image signal, while the stimulable phosphor sheet after the image signal is read is irradiated with the erasing light, and this panel is illuminated. Radiation image readers that emit residual radiation energy are already well known.

The image signal obtained by this apparatus is subjected to image processing such as gradation processing and frequency processing suitable for observation and interpretation, and the image signal after this processing is used as a visible image for diagnosis, for example. It is recorded on the film or displayed on the CRT for diagnostic purposes. On the other hand, the above-mentioned erasing enables the stimulable phosphor sheet to be used repeatedly.

By the way, in the above-mentioned image reading method,
Also disclosed is the one that performs so-called simultaneous read erasing, which employs a method of sequentially erasing from the area of the panel where the reading of the image signal is finished while reading the image signal from the stimulable phosphor sheet on which the image information is recorded. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 61-86743, 63-175848, and 4-32).
No. 0246, etc.), this method performs reading and erasing at approximately the same time in parallel, so the cycle time of the entire system is greater than that in the conventional method in which reading and erasing of the entire sheet are performed separately. There is an advantage that can be shortened.

The support of the stimulable phosphor sheet itself is
The stimulable phosphor layer is formed of a substantially transparent material (hereinafter, simply referred to as a transparent material) through which stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer is transmitted, and stimulated emission light is substantially simultaneously emitted from both sides of the stimulable phosphor sheet. The S / N ratio of the read image signal is increased by improving the efficiency of reading and stimulating the stimulated emission light and adding the image signals read from each surface to the corresponding pixels on the front and back at a predetermined addition ratio. Techniques for improvement have been disclosed (JP-A-55-87970, JP-A-4).
-280060 etc.).

[0006]

By the way, in the system in which reading and erasing are performed substantially simultaneously in parallel as described above, it is necessary to prevent erasing light from entering the reading means during signal reading. According to Kaihei 4-320246, the reading means is provided with a first filter which transmits the stimulated emission light but blocks the transmission of light having a wavelength equal to or longer than that of the excitation light,
A technology is disclosed in which the erasing means is provided with a second filter that blocks transmission of light having a wavelength equal to or shorter than the light transmission wavelength of the first filter in the erasing light.

If a method of reading and erasing at the same time in parallel is applied to the method of reading image signals from both sides of the stimulable phosphor sheet, the cycle time of the entire system can be shortened and The S / N of the read image signal can be improved.

However, when such a system is adopted,
If the erasing light is prevented from entering the reading means simply by using a filter as disclosed in JP-A-4-320246, the energy of the erasing light is cut by the filter and the energy reaching the sheet is lost. There is a problem of inefficiency.

Therefore, it is considered that erasing is performed from both sides of the sheet to increase the erasing energy for the sheet and improve the erasing efficiency.

However, the irradiation of the erasing light from the back side of the sheet causes a new problem that the erasing light propagates through the transparent support layer and enters the reading means, thereby deteriorating the S / N of the read signal. cause.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image reading / erasing apparatus capable of erasing by releasing the remaining energy of the sheet without lowering the erasing efficiency. Is.

[0012]

A radiation image reading and erasing apparatus of the present invention improves erasing efficiency by irradiating erasing light on both sides of a sheet while reading image signals from both sides of a stimulable phosphor sheet. Then, it was found that the intensity and spectrum of the erasing light propagating inside the sheet were different between the erasing light propagating in the stimulable phosphor layer and the erasing light propagating in the support layer, and the stimulable phosphor layer and the support were supported. Separate filters suitable for the characteristics of the erasing light propagating through the body layer and the erasing means on the stimulable phosphor layer side of the sheet and the erasing means on the support layer side are provided separately for the reading means. By providing a filter for transmitting only the emitted light, the S / N ratio of the image signal is improved as a whole, and the reduction of the erasing efficiency is prevented by the filter.

That is, in the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus of the present invention, the stimulable phosphor sheet on which the radiation image is stored and recorded is irradiated with excitation light, and the stimulated emission light emitted from the sheet is photoelectrically read by the photoelectric reading means. Reading means for obtaining the radiation image by reading the radiation image, and erasing light to the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet from which the radiation image has been read, which is provided adjacent to the reading means via a predetermined light shielding member. In the radiation image reading and erasing apparatus having the erasing means for releasing the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been read, the stimulable phosphor sheet transmits at least the stimulated emission light. A support layer formed of a possible material, and a stimulable phosphor layer laminated on the support layer, wherein the reading means and the erasing means have the storage ability. Only light in a wavelength band substantially the same as the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light is provided between the both reading means and each surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet, respectively, provided on both sides of the phosphor sheet separately. A first filter for selectively transmitting the light is allowed to be transmitted in a wavelength band exceeding the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light, depending on the intensity and spectrum of the erase light propagating through each layer. A second filter or a third filter having different wavelength bands is provided separately between the erasing means and each surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet.

Here, the excitation light means light such as laser light or visible light, and more specifically, it has a wavelength band of 500 to 1100.
nm, preferably about 500 to 800 nm, and more preferably 630 to 690 nm.

The wavelength band of stimulated emission light is usually 380 to 4
Although it is 20 nm, it varies depending on the type of the stimulable phosphor and is not limited to the above band.

Further, as the erasing light, a white fluorescent lamp or a three-component fluorescent lamp (each having a wavelength band of about 300 to 800 nm) can be used.

The material capable of transmitting stimulated emission light is not limited to a generally transparent material, while the surface of the stimulable phosphor layer allows transmission of excitation light and stimulated emission light. A protective layer may be provided.

The second layer disposed on the stimulable phosphor layer side
It is more preferable that the wavelength band allowing the transmission of the third filter arranged on the support layer side is the long wavelength side with respect to the wavelength band allowing the transmission of the filter.

[0019]

According to the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus of the present invention, by erasing the erasing light from both sides of the stimulable phosphor sheet, the erasing energy applied to the entire sheet can be increased and the erasing efficiency can be improved. it can.

Further, it was found out that the spectrum and the intensity of the erasing light after propagation are different between the case of propagating through the stimulable phosphor layer of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the case of propagating through the support layer. Based on the above, the second and third filters, which have different transmission characteristics of the erasing light on the front and back sides depending on the characteristics of the erasing light, are provided between the erasing means and the sheet provided on each surface. The characteristics of the erasing light irradiated on each surface of the sheet are changed in advance before the irradiation of the sheet, and the stimulated emission light and the inside of the sheet are propagated by the first filter provided in front of the reading means. The separation from the erasing light can be facilitated. Therefore, the S / N of the image signal read by the reading means is not reduced.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a radiation image reading / erasing apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the basic configuration of the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a reading means 2 for reading a radiation image recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and a stimulable phosphor sheet that has been read. And an erasing means 3 for erasing the residual image (residual radiation energy).

The stimulable phosphor sheet 4 used in the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus of the present embodiment has a support layer 4a formed of a transparent material capable of transmitting stimulated emission light, and a support layer 4a formed on the support layer 4a. The stimulable phosphor layer 4b is laminated.

A stimulable phosphor sheet 4 on which a radiation image is stored and recorded is reciprocally conveyed in a direction indicated by an arrow A and a direction indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 1 by a pair of conveying rollers 5 and a pair of light shielding rollers 6 which are rotated by a motor (not shown). Made possible. Above the sheet 4 in the figure, it is rotated by a laser light source 10 which emits a laser beam 11 which is an excitation light forming the reading means 2 and a motor (not shown) which performs main scanning of the sheet 4 by reflecting and deflecting the laser beam 11. A polygon mirror 12 is arranged. Further, above the position where the laser light 11 is scanned, the stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer 4b by the scanning of the laser light 11 is on the upper side (the stimulable phosphor layer 4b side).
The light guide 14a for further focusing is arranged close to each other, and the side opposite to the upper light guide 14a with the stimulable phosphor sheet 4 in between,
That is, on the support layer 4a side (lower side), a light guide 14b for concentrating the stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer 4b and transmitted through the support layer 4a from below is arranged substantially vertically to the sheet 4. Further, a condenser mirror 13 is arranged near the light guide 14a.

Photomultipliers (photomultiplier tubes) 15a and 15b for photoelectrically detecting stimulated emission light are connected to the light guides 14a and 14b, respectively. The photomultipliers 15a and 15b are connected to the signal processing system 16. Light guides 14a, 14b and photomultiplier 15a,
Photomultipliers 15a and 15b are placed between the light-receiving surfaces of 15b.
In order to prevent the laser light 11 and the erasing light that has propagated through the stimulable phosphor layer 4b or the support layer 4a from entering the optical separation filter (first separation filter) that selectively transmits light in a predetermined wavelength band (first
Filters 14c and 14d are provided respectively.

The predetermined wavelength band transmitted by the first filters 14c and 14d means a wavelength band including the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer 4b, which is wide. If it is too much, only the stimulated emission light cannot be effectively separated, so the range is set to approximately 300 nm to 500 nm. Specifically, it is suitable to use a blue filter such as B370 and B390 manufactured by HOYA Co., Ltd., which has a transmittance characteristic shown in FIG. Since these blue filters also have a transmission region in the wavelength band of 700 nm or more, if it is necessary to prevent the transmission of light in this wavelength band, for example, the HOYA shown in FIG.
A heat ray absorbing filter such as HA30 manufactured by Co., Ltd. may be used in combination with the blue filter.

In the present embodiment, the filter using the above filter is described, but the first filter in the reading and erasing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to this example, and the stimulated emission light can be effectively separated. Any filter may be used as long as it is one.

The tip surface of the light guide 14b is formed in a concave shape for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of collecting stimulated emission light radially emitted from the sheet 4, and as shown in the drawing, Side light guide 14b not only the upper light guide
14a can also be formed together or alone in the same concave shape.

The erasing means 3 includes an erasing light source 20a composed of four fluorescent lamps 21a for erasing the residual image on the sheet 4 from above the sheet 4 which has passed the light shielding roller 6, and the sheet 4 which has passed the light shielding roller 6. The erasing light source 20b is composed of four fluorescent lamps 21b for erasing the residual image on the sheet 4 from below.

There are various types of fluorescent lamps, such as white (W), warm white (WW), daylight color (D), incandescent lamp color,
High color rendering white (W-DL), (W-SDL), (WE
In addition to ordinary fluorescent lamps such as DL), there are cold cathode fluorescent lamps such as green (G), blue (B), and high color rendering white (LCD), all of which have a wide band spectrum of about 300 to 800 nm. In particular, it has a wide and high emission distribution centering around 600 to 800 nm, and can be used as the erasing light sources 20a and 20b.

Also, the erasing light sources 20a and 20b and the sheet 4 are
And a wavelength band that exceeds the wavelength band of stimulated emission light described above, and the frequency bands that allow transmission are different from each other depending on the intensity and spectrum of the erasing light that has propagated through each layer of the sheet 4. Second filter 22a or third filter
22b is provided. In the present embodiment, the second filter 22a is integrally formed with the erasing means 3 arranged on the upper side, and the third filter 22b is integrally formed with the erasing means 3 arranged on the lower side. However, it is not always necessary to have such a configuration, and it may be arranged at any position as long as it covers the irradiation range of the erasing light emitted from the erasing means 3 on the surface of the sheet 4. .

The second filter 22a may be, for example, a colored glass filter Y53 (see FIG. 3A) manufactured by HOYA Co., Ltd., which blocks transmission of light having a wavelength of about 500 nm or less, or 540 nm.
Acrylite # 252 (see FIG. 4 (A)) manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. that blocks the following transmission of light can be used as a suitable one.

On the other hand, the third filter 22b is, for example, HOYA Co., Ltd., which blocks the transmission of light of about 560 nm or less.
Made of colored glass filter O58 (see Fig. 3 (B)) and 590
Acrylite # 102 (see FIG. 4 (B)) manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., which blocks transmission of light having a wavelength of nm or less, can be suitably used.

Next, the operation of the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 4 on which the radiation image of the subject is stored and recorded is conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the conveying roller 5 and the light-shielding roller 6, and is sub-scanned. On the other hand, the laser light 11 emitted from the laser light source 10 is reflected and deflected by a polygon mirror 12 which is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), enters the sheet 4, and is substantially perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction (arrow A direction) (on the paper surface). Main scan in the vertical direction). The portion of the stimulable phosphor layer 4b of the sheet 4 which is irradiated with the laser light 11 is excited by the laser light 11, and stimulated emission light of a light amount corresponding to the radiation image information stored and recorded in the portion is emitted. To be done. This stimulated emission light diverges to the surroundings with the excited portion as the center. Of these, the stimulated emission light emitted upward from the upper surface of the stimulable phosphor layer 4b is the upper light guide 14
incident on a. The light incident on the light guide 14a is
It repeats total internal reflection inside a.

On the other hand, the stimulated emission light emitted downward from the lower surface of the stimulable phosphor layer 4b is a support layer 4a made of a transparent material.
Propagates inside, exits downward from the lower surface, and enters the lower light guide 14b. The light incident on the light guide 14b also travels through the inside of the light guide 14b by repeating total reflection.

Since the above-mentioned first filters 14c and 14d are arranged between the light guides 14a and 14b and the light receiving surfaces of the photomultipliers 15a and 15b, the stimulated emission light is The laser light 11 having a wavelength different from the permissible transmission wavelength band of the first filters 14c and 14d is transmitted through the first filters 14c and 14d and enters the light receiving surfaces of the photomultipliers 15a and 15b. Filter 14c
, 14d cannot be transmitted, so each photomultiplier 15a
The laser light 11, which is a noise component, does not enter the light-receiving surfaces of 15 and 15b.

The stimulated emission light that has passed through the first filter 14c is received by the photomultiplier 15a, and the photomultiplier 15a converts the amount of the stimulated emission light that represents a radiation image into an electric signal.

The photostimulated luminescence light incident on the first filter 14d is similarly received by the photomultiplier 15b and photoelectrically detected by the photomultiplier 15b.

The analog image signals output from the photomultipliers 15a and 15b are input to the signal processing system 16, are logarithmically amplified, and are further converted into digital image signals. The digital image signal of each pixel is subjected to addition processing, is further input to the reproducing means, and is displayed as a visible image.

The reproducing means may be a display means such as a CRT or a recording device for performing optical scanning recording on the photosensitive film.

On the other hand, since the sheet 4 is sub-scanned in the direction of arrow A, the portion where the reading means 2 has finished reading the radiation image signal sequentially enters the erasing means 3.

In the erasing means 3, the erasing light sources 20a, 20
The fluorescent lamps 21a and 21b of b are turned on, and the erasing light source 20a
, Sheet 20 into which the erasing light having a wide band spectrum extending from about 300 to 800 nm emitted from
Is irradiated.

First, looking at the upper surface side of the sheet 4, the erasing light passes through the second filter 22a (which has the transmission characteristic shown in FIG. 3A) and reaches the sheet 4 which has been read. Irradiate sequentially. The erasing light (transmission erasing light) after passing through the second filter 22a has the components in the wavelength band of about 500 nm or less cut off as understood from FIG. 3 (A).

The erasing light transmitted through the second filter 22a irradiates the portion of the sheet 4 on which the reading has been completed, so that the portion of the stimulable phosphor layer 2b that has been exposed to the irradiation has radiation energy remaining after the reading. It is released and ready for re-recording.

Here, a part of the erasing light irradiating the sheet 4 propagates inside the stimulable phosphor layer 2b and reaches the position where the light guide 14a is arranged, but the erasing light irradiates the sheet 4. At the previous stage, the components in the wavelength band of approximately 500 nm or less were cut, so the wavelength bands do not overlap with the stimulated emission light, which is the signal component excited by the laser light 11, The emitted light is clearly separated, and the light in the wavelength band of about 500 nm or more and about 300 nm or less is cut by the first filter 14c provided between the light guide 14a and the light receiving surface of the photomultiplier 15a.

Incidentally, the erasing light before passing through the second filter 22a guides the stimulable phosphor layer 4b of the sheet 4 into light.
It was experimentally confirmed that the spectrum and intensity of the erasing light in the portion of the sheet 4 corresponding to the arrangement position of the light guide 14a when propagating to 14a are as shown in FIG. 5 (A). That is, since the red light is absorbed and diffused by the stimulable phosphor layer 4b, the erasing light that has propagated through the stimulable phosphor layer 4b has a narrow spectrum width and a reduced overall intensity.

The relationship between the first filter 14c, the second filter 22a, the stimulated emission light and the erasing light described above is shown in FIG.
It shows in (A). As can be understood from the relationship shown in the figure, the wavelength region of the erasing light having a relatively high light intensity level (approximately 600
(-800 nm) light is passed through the second filter 22a and is provided as erase light, while this erase light is cut by the first filter 14c, so that it is regarded as noise by the photomultiplier 15
It never hits a. Therefore, an image signal in which the erasing light and the laser light 11 are not mixed is obtained from the upper surface side of the sheet 4, and the S / N of the image signal can be improved.

On the other hand, looking at the lower surface of the seat 4,
The erasing light passes through the third filter 22b (which has the transmission characteristic shown in FIG. 3B) and sequentially irradiates the sheet 4 which has been read. The erasing light (transmission erasing light) after passing through the third filter 22b is the one in which the components in the wavelength band of approximately 560 nm or less are cut, as understood from FIG. 3 (B).

The erasing light transmitted through the third filter 22b irradiates the portion of the sheet 4 on which the reading has been completed. First, the erasing light is incident on the transparent support layer 4a, passes through the support layer 4a, and then the stimulable phosphor is emitted. The layer 4b is illuminated from the bottom side. As a result, the portion of the stimulable phosphor layer 2b that has been irradiated with the erasing light becomes a state in which re-recording is possible because the radiation energy still remaining after the reading is released.

Here, a part of the erasing light irradiating the sheet 4 propagates inside the transparent support layer 2b and reaches the position where the light guide 14b is arranged, but the erasing light irradiates the sheet 4. At the previous stage, the components in the wavelength band of approximately 560 nm or less were cut, so the wavelength bands do not overlap with the stimulated emission light, which is the signal component excited by the laser beam 11, The emitted light is clearly separated, and the first filter 14d provided between the light guide 14b and the light receiving surface of the photomultiplier 15b cuts off light in the wavelength band of about 500 nm or more and about 300 nm or less.

By the way, when the erasing light before passing through the third filter 22b propagates through the support layer 4a of the sheet 4 to the light guide 14b, the portion of the sheet 4 corresponding to the arrangement position of the light guide 14b. It was experimentally confirmed that the spectrum and intensity of the erasing light are as shown in FIG. 5 (B). That is, the erase light propagating through the support layer 4a has a wider spectrum width than the erase light propagating through the stimulable phosphor layer 4b (see FIG. 5A) and maintains a high intensity thereof. Becomes Therefore, the erase light propagating through the support layer 4a is more likely to enter the light guide 14b than the erase light propagating through the stimulable phosphor layer 4b.

Therefore, it is safer for the third filter 22b to use a filter that cuts from the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light to the light of a wavelength band farther away from the second filter 22a. Based on the above, the transmission wavelength band of the third filter 22b is set.

FIG. 6B shows the relationship between the first filter 14c, the third filter 22b, the stimulated emission light and the erasing light described above.
Shown in As can be understood from the relationship shown in the figure, the erase light emitted from the lower surface side of the sheet 4 may reach the light guide 14b with a high intensity level as a whole. The erasing light in that wavelength band is cut in advance by the third filter 22b set higher than the second filter 22a, and the erasing light in which this wavelength band is cut has a relatively high light intensity level (approximately 600 to 800 nm). ) Is used to irradiate the stimulable phosphor layer 4b from the lower surface side so that the residual radiation energy of the stimulable phosphor layer 4b is emitted, while this erased light is cut by the first filter 14d, so that light is emitted as noise. It does not enter the guide 14b.
Therefore, the erasing light or laser light 11
It is possible to obtain an image signal that does not coexist with, and improve the S / N ratio of the image signal.

As described above, the radiation image reading / erasing apparatus of this embodiment increases the erasing energy applied to the sheet 4 as a whole by irradiating the erasing light from both sides of the stimulable phosphor sheet 4 to increase the erasing efficiency. With the improvement, by finding the fact that the spectrum and intensity of the erased light after propagation are different from each other when propagating through the stimulable phosphor layer 4b and when propagating through the support layer 4a.
It is possible to perform effective erasing according to the difference in the characteristics of the erasing light that propagates by providing a filter that makes the transmission characteristics of the erasing light on the front and back sides different according to the difference in the characteristics of the two erasing lights. .

In the above-described embodiment, the reading means 2 and the erasing means 3 are fixed so that the sheet 4 is conveyed for reading and erasing. However, the sheet 4 is fixed and the reading means 2 is fixed. The reading and erasing may be performed by moving the erasing means 3 with respect to the sheet 4.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a radiation image reading / erasing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a transmission characteristic of a specific example of a first filter.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing transmission characteristics of a first specific example of a second filter and a third filter.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing transmission characteristics of a second specific example of the second filter and the third filter.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing spectra and intensities of erasing light propagated through a stimulable phosphor layer and a support layer of a stimulable phosphor sheet.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the transmission characteristics of the first filter, the second filter, and the third filter, and the relationship between the spectra of stimulated emission light and erase light, and the intensity.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Radiation image reading / erasing device 2 Reading means 3 Erasing means 4 Storage phosphor sheet 4a Support layer 4b Storage phosphor layer 5 Conveying roller 6 Light blocking roller 10 Laser light source 11 Laser light 12 Polygon mirror 14a, 14b Light guide 14c, 14d First filter 15a, 15b Photomultiplier 16 Signal processing system 20a, 20b Eliminating light sources 21a, 21b Fluorescent lamp 22a Second filter 22b Third filter

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reading for obtaining the radiation image by irradiating the stimulable phosphor sheet on which the radiation image is stored and recorded with excitation light and photoelectrically reading the stimulated emission light emitted from the sheet by photoelectric reading means. Means and a storage portion which is provided adjacent to the reading means via a predetermined light-shielding member, and the erasing light is applied to the portion of the storage phosphor sheet from which the radiation image has been read, so that the reading is completed. In a radiation image reading and erasing apparatus having an erasing means for releasing the radiation energy remaining in the phosphor sheet, a support layer in which the stimulable phosphor sheet is formed of at least a material capable of transmitting the stimulated emission light. And a stimulable phosphor layer laminated on the support layer, wherein the reading means and the erasing means are separately provided on both sides of the stimulable phosphor sheet. A first filter for selectively transmitting light in a wavelength band substantially the same as the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light is disposed between the both reading means and each surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet, A wavelength band exceeding the wavelength band of the stimulated emission light,
According to the intensity and spectrum of the erasing light propagating through each layer, a second filter or a third filter having different wavelength bands that allow transmission are provided on both surfaces of the erasing means and the stimulable phosphor sheet. A radiation image reading and erasing apparatus, wherein the radiation image reading and erasing apparatus is provided separately between the two. 2. A second device disposed on the storage phosphor layer side.
2. The wavelength band allowing the transmission of the third filter disposed on the support layer side is the long wavelength side with respect to the wavelength band allowing the transmission of the filter of FIG. The radiation image reading and erasing device described.