JPH11316446A - X-ray image forming method and x-ray image forming system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately and rapidly obtain X-ray images of high quality with high sharpness and high resolution required for mammography, X-ray images of limb bones or the like, and moreover to obtain images with an inexpensive device. SOLUTION: In this X-ray image forming method, an X-ray image is captured by a flat panel detector, the X-ray image is outputted as an image signal from the flat panel detector, and transformed into changes in the intensity of the laser light, which scans and exposes a silver halide photographic sensitive material P having at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer. The exposed photosensitive material is developed by using an alkaline treating composition containing a silver halide solvent, so as to at least partly change the unexposed silver halide in the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer into a transferrable silver complex salt. Then at least part of the transferrable silver complex salt is transferred to an image accepting layer containing silver precipitated nuclei for forming an image in the image accepting layer containing silver precipitated nuclei. After the image is formed, the image accepting layer containing silver precipitated nuclei above described is separated from the photosensitive element so as to obtain the X-ray image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an X-ray image forming method and an X-ray image forming system used for, for example, X-ray mammography and imaging of limb bones.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a system used for X-ray imaging for medical diagnosis, a silver halide photographic film is brought into close contact with a fluorescent intensifying screen, an X-ray image is exposed, and developed, fixed, and washed with an automatic developing machine. Drying image forming systems have been more commonly used than before. However, in this system, it is known that the sharpness is greatly reduced due to light diffusion when an X-ray image is converted into a light image with a fluorescent intensifying screen and exposed to a silver halide photographic film.

On the other hand, in recent years, an X-ray image is exposed on a stimulable phosphor plate, and thereafter, the plate is scanned and exposed with a laser beam to extract image information accumulated on the stimulable phosphor plate as an optical signal. An image forming system has been used which scans and records again as a light signal on a silver halide photographic film after converting it into an electric signal, and develops, fixes, rinses and dries with an automatic developing machine.

[0004]

Compared with the fluorescent intensifying screen / film system, this system enables image processing to once convert an image signal into an electric signal, thereby enabling signal processing.
Although there is an advantage that image processing such as edge enhancement processing and masking processing can be performed, sharpness is not sufficiently satisfactory for mammography, limb bone photography, and the like.

Further, a method of capturing an X-ray image with a flat panel detector and directly extracting an image signal from the flat panel detector can be expected to have high sharpness in principle. However, in a conventional laser recording system, an image signal has It was difficult to reproduce high sharpness. As a laser recording system, in addition to the one using a silver halide photographic film as described above, the one using a laser hot-melt transfer method is also known. However, in this method, an image-receiving sheet and a hot-melt colorant sheet are overlapped and thermally transferred. But
Similarly, there is a problem that the sharpness is not sufficient, the apparatus is expensive, and image formation is slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is capable of quickly, reliably and inexpensively producing high-quality X-ray images of high sharpness and high resolution required for mammography and limb bones, for example. It is an object of the present invention to provide an X-ray image forming method and an X-ray image forming system which can be obtained by a simple apparatus.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention has the following constitution.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for capturing an X-ray image by a flat panel detector, extracting the X-ray image from the flat panel detector as an image signal, converting the image signal into a laser light intensity change, and forming at least one layer of photosensitive material. The silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is subjected to scanning exposure, and is developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent. At least a part of the transferable silver complex salt, at least a part of the transferable silver complex salt is transferred to a silver precipitation nucleus-containing image receiving layer, and an image is formed on the silver precipitation nucleus-containing image receiving layer. An X-ray image forming method, wherein an X-ray image is obtained by separating an image receiving layer containing silver precipitation nuclei from a photosensitive element. ].

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer is obtained by extracting an X-ray image from a flat panel detector as an image signal, converting the image signal into a laser light intensity change. Scan exposure, and developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent to form at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer as a transferable silver complex salt. An X-ray image is formed by transferring at least a portion of the complex salt to an image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, forming an image on the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, and separating the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei from the photosensitive element after image formation. Thus, a high-quality X-ray image with high sharpness and high resolution required for, for example, mammography and limb bones can be obtained quickly and reliably.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray image forming system for capturing an X-ray image by a flat panel detector and extracting the X-ray image as an image signal from the flat panel detector. Intensity change, scanning exposure to a silver halide photographic material having at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer, development using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent, At least a portion of the unexposed silver halide of the silver halide emulsion layer is a transferable silver complex salt, and at least a portion of the transferable silver complex salt is transferred to a silver precipitate nucleus-containing image-receiving layer, and the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image-receiving layer is transferred. A device for obtaining an X-ray image by separating an image-receiving layer containing silver precipitation nuclei from a photosensitive element after image formation. Imaging systems. ].

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer is obtained by extracting an X-ray image as an image signal from a flat panel detector, converting the image signal into a laser light intensity change. Scan exposure, and developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent to form at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer as a transferable silver complex salt. An X-ray image is formed by transferring at least a portion of the complex salt to an image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, forming an image on the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, and separating the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei from the photosensitive element after image formation. By using the apparatus for obtaining (1), it is possible to quickly and reliably obtain a high-quality X-ray image with high sharpness and high resolution required for mammography and limb bones, for example.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an X-ray image forming method and an X-ray image forming system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Clearly not.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an X-ray image forming system, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a flat panel detector (FPD), and FIG. 3 is a flat panel detector (FP).
It is a schematic plan view which shows D).

As shown in FIG. 1, the X-ray image forming system captures an image of a subject 60 using X-rays emitted from an X-ray tube 1 and converts the X-ray image into a flat panel detector (FP).
D) Capture in 2. This flat panel detector (F
An X-ray image is extracted from PD) as an image signal, image-processed by an image processing unit 3, and sent to a network 4. The network 4 is connected to a CRT display 5, a laser imager 6, and the like. The X-ray image is displayed on the CRT display 5, and the laser imager 6 prints and outputs the X-ray image.

Flat panel detector (FPD) 2
Is configured as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.

As a radiation image generating method according to the present invention, a specific example of a flat panel detector (FPD) is disclosed in JP-A-6-342098. That is, X-rays transmitted through a subject are absorbed by a photoconductive layer such as an a-Se layer to generate electric charges according to the X-ray intensity, and the amount of the electric charges is detected for each pixel. As an example of another type of FPD, as disclosed in JP-A-9-90048, X-rays are absorbed by a phosphor layer such as an intensifying screen to generate fluorescence, and the intensity of the fluorescence is determined for each pixel. Some are detected by a photodetector such as a provided photodiode. As another method for detecting fluorescence, there is a method using a CCD or a C-MOS sensor.

In particular, in the FPD of the method disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-342098, since the X-ray dose is directly converted into the charge amount for each pixel, the sharpness of the FPD is hardly degraded, and the image with excellent sharpness is obtained. Therefore, the effects of the X-ray image recording system and the X-ray image recording method of the present invention are large and suitable.

Flat panel detector (FPD) 2
Is, as shown in FIG. 2, a photoconductive layer 2
1, a dielectric layer 22, and a front conductive layer 23 are sequentially laminated. A plurality of first micro-conductive electrode microplates 24 are provided on the dielectric substrate layer 20, and the minimum pixel that can be resolved by the flat panel detector (FPD) 2 depending on the size of the first micro-conductive electrode microplate 24. Is determined. On the plurality of first minute conductive electrode microplates 24, a capacitance dielectric material 25 is formed. An X-ray image can be formed even if the dielectric layer 22 is removed from the flat panel detector (FPD) 2, and the present invention can be realized.
There is a possibility that the retention of the amount of charge accumulated in step 6 and the sharpness of the X-ray image may be slightly reduced.

Further, a plurality of transistors 29 each having two electrodes 26 and 27 and a gate 28 are stacked on the dielectric substrate layer 20. Further, on the dielectric substrate layer 20, a plurality of second minute conductive electrode microplates 30 are stacked.

As shown in FIG. 3, at least one transistor 29 includes a plurality of second minute conductive electrode microplates 30 connected to X address lines 41 and Y sense lines 4.
2 connected. The charge storage capacitor 36 is formed by the first micro-conductive electrode microplate 24, the second micro-conductive electrode microplate 30, and the capacitance dielectric material 25. The second microconductive electrode microplate 30 is also connected to the electrode 27 of the transistor 29. The first micro conductive electrode micro plate 24 is connected to ground.

Transistor 29 acts as a bidirectional switch, depending on whether a bias voltage has been applied to the gate via X address line 41, and to Y sense line 4
A current flows between the capacitor 2 and the charge storage capacitor 36.

A conductive electrode or X address line 41 and a conductive electrode or Y sense line 42 are arranged in a space between the plurality of second minute conductive electrode microplates 30. The X address line 41 and the Y sense line 42 are arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to each other as shown in the figure. The X address lines 41 and the Y sense lines 42 are individually accessible along the sides or edges of the flat panel detector (FPD) 2 through leads or connectors.

Each of the X address lines 41 is sequentially addressed by applying a bias voltage to the line, and thus to the gate of transistor 29 connected to the addressed X address line 41. As a result, the transistor 29 is turned on, and the charge stored in the corresponding charge storage capacitor 36 flows to the Y sense line 42 and to the input side of the charge detector 46. Charge detector 46 generates a voltage output proportional to the charge detected on Y sense line 42. The output of the charge detector 46 is sampled sequentially to obtain an image signal representing the charge distribution of the microcapacitors on the addressed X address line 41, where each microcapacitor has 1
Represents one image pixel. When a signal is read from a certain pixel line on the X address line 41, the charge amplifier is reset through the reset line 49. Next X
Address line 41 is addressed, and the process comprises:
All charge storage capacitors 36 are sampled and repeated until the entire image is read.

The laser imager 6 includes an image forming device 7
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser imager.

The laser imager 6 scans and records on a silver halide photographic material P having at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer by controlling means 70 for converting an image signal into a laser light intensity change. Exposure means 71
Conveying means 7 for conveying the silver halide photographic material P
And developing using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent to form at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer as a transferable silver complex salt. Transferring at least a portion to the silver-precipitated nucleus-containing image-receiving layer to form an image on the silver-precipitated nucleus-containing image-receiving layer;
An image forming apparatus 73 for obtaining an X-ray image by separating the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer from the photosensitive element after image formation is provided.

As described above, the X-ray image is extracted from the flat panel detector (FPD) 2 as an image signal,
The laser light intensity is converted to a change, and the silver halide photographic material P having a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is scanned and exposed,
The image forming apparatus 73 develops an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent to develop at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer into a transferable silver complex salt. An X-ray image is formed by transferring at least a portion of the complex salt to an image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, forming an image on the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei, and separating the image-receiving layer containing silver nuclei from the photosensitive element after image formation. Thus, a high-quality X-ray image with high sharpness and high resolution required for, for example, mammography and limb bones can be obtained quickly and reliably.

Hereinafter, a silver halide photographic material having a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the processing thereof will be described in detail.

The exposed silver halide light-sensitive material is developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent, and at least a part of the unexposed silver halide in the light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer is transferred. A silver complex salt, transferring at least a part of the transferable silver complex salt to a silver precipitation nucleus-containing image receiving layer,
A silver salt diffusion transfer method in which an image is formed on the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image-receiving layer and the photographic image is obtained by separating the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image-receiving layer from the photosensitive element after image formation is now known in the art. For more information, see A. Ro
tt), E. Weide, "Photographic Silver Halide Diffusion
Processes (PhotographicSilver)
Halide Diffusion Process
s) ", published by Focal Press
s, 1972); J. Sturg
e), V.Walworth
h), A. Shepp, "Imaging Processes and Materials: Neblet 8th Edition [Imaging Processesand]
Materials: Ncblet's Eight
the Edition), Van Nostrand Reinho (Van Nostrand Reinho)
1989); G. Haist.
t), "Modern Photographic Proc
essing Vol. 2), John Wiley And Sons, Inc. (John Wiley And So
ns 1979).

As an example of the silver salt diffusion transfer method, a photosensitive element having a silver halide emulsion coated on a support and an image receiving element having an image receiving layer containing silver precipitation nuclei coated on another support are superposed. An alkaline processing composition, for example, a high-viscosity or low-viscosity alkaline processing composition containing a developing agent and a silver halide solvent, developed between the two elements, and an image-receiving element after transfer development processing. A so-called peel-apart system in which a silver image is obtained on an image receiving element by peeling between processing compositions can be mentioned. There is also known a mono-sheet system in which a transferred image is observed without peeling an image receiving element. Further, a method is also known in which after the photosensitive element alone is brought into contact with the processing composition, the photosensitive element and the image receiving element are again overlapped and subjected to transfer development processing, and the two are separated to obtain a transfer image on the image receiving element. One of the important features of these silver salt diffusion transfer methods is that an image is obtained immediately on the spot.

The photosensitive element, image receiving element, and processing composition used in the present invention will be described. In the light-sensitive element of the present invention, a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is provided on one side of a support obtained by subbing both sides of a polyethylene terephthalate film containing titanium dioxide or carbon black, a protective layer is provided thereon, and the other side is provided. Preferably, a photosensitive element provided with a carbon black layer and a protective layer thereon is used. In addition to the layer structure, a titanium dioxide layer on one side of a support obtained by subbing both sides of a polyethylene terephthalate film containing titanium dioxide or carbon black, a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer thereon,
Further, a photosensitive element provided with a protective layer thereon, a carbon black layer on the other surface, and a protective layer thereon is preferably used. Further, a dye can be used in place of or in combination with the above carbon black. When polyethylene terephthalate contains carbon black and / or dye, it is not necessary to provide a layer of carbon black and / or dye on one surface. Further, the titanium dioxide may be replaced with another white pigment.

As the support, in addition to the above-mentioned polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, syndiotactic polystyrene, paper laminated with polyethylene, baryta paper, cellulose triacetate and the like are used. The photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer, protective layer, carbon black layer and the like usually contain a hydrophilic binder such as gelatin.

The thickness of the emulsion layer of the light-sensitive material according to the present invention is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 6.0 μm, and more preferably 0.8 to 4.0 μm.
The range of μm is more preferred. In the case where there are multiple emulsion layers on one side, the thickness of the emulsion layer referred to herein means the total thickness of all the layers. The thickness of the photosensitive element is 23 ° C and 50% R
The photosensitive material is allowed to stand in an atmosphere of H for at least 2 hours, and the cross section of the photosensitive material can be measured from an electron microscopic photograph.

The emulsion used for the light-sensitive material can be produced by a known method. The crystal habit may have a cubic, tetrahedral, octahedral, or (111) plane, and a plane such as a (100) plane arbitrarily mixed, for example, a spherical shape. The crystal structure of the silver halide may be different from the silver halide composition inside and outside. For example, JP-A-2-8584
No. 6 and the like, and internal high iodine type monodispersed particles.

Further, the silver halide emulsion preferably used in the present invention is tabular grains having an average aspect ratio of more than 2, preferably 3 to 20 tabular grains. Here, the aspect ratio refers to the ratio of the diameter (particle diameter) of the main plane of the tabular grains to the thickness. Here, the diameter of the main plane of the silver halide grain refers to the diameter of a circle having an area equal to the projected area of the main plane.

In the present invention, the diameter of the main plane of the tabular silver halide grains is preferably 0.05 to 2.0 μm, more preferably 0.1 to 1.5 μm, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 1.5 μm.
15 to l. 0 μm. Generally, tabular silver halide grains are tabular having two parallel main planes, and thus "thickness" in the present invention is defined as the distance between two parallel main planes constituting the tabular silver halide grains. expressed.
The advantages of such tabular grains are as follows: improvement in spectral sensitization efficiency, improvement in graininess and sharpness of an image, and the like, for example,
UK Patent 2,112,157, US Patent 4,439,
Nos. 520, 4,433,048 and 4,414,3
No. 10,434,226, JP-A-58-113
No. 927, No. 58-127921, No. 63-1383
No. 42, No. 63-284272, No. 63-30534
No. 3, etc., and emulsions can be prepared by the methods described in these publications. Further, U.S. Pat.
63,951, 4,386,156, 5,27
Tabular grains having a (100) major plane described in 5,930 and 5,314,798 are also preferably used.

Further preferred silver halide emulsions used in the present invention are silver iodobromide, silver iodochlorobromide, silver bromide, silver chlorobromide, and silver chloride of less than 3 mol% of silver iodide. Preferred are silver bromide, silver iodobromide and silver iodochloride having a silver iodide content of less than 1.0 mol%. The emulsion described above may be either a surface latent image type for forming a latent image on the grain surface, an internal latent image type for forming a latent image inside the grain, or a type for forming a surface and an internal latent image. The silver halide emulsions according to the present invention are preferably monodisperse, and those having a coefficient of variation of the average volume particle size within a range of 20% or less, particularly 10% or less are preferably used. The average volume particle size referred to in the present invention is, in the case of tabular grains, the volume of the tabular grains is converted into the volume of a cube having the same volume, and the length of one side of the cube obtained by converting the volume of each particle. Say the average. The same applies to particles having other shapes. Incidentally, the above-mentioned cubic or tetrahedral particles and tabular particles may be mixed and used.

The silver halide grains used in the present invention preferably contain a complex of a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Re, Δs, and Ir. May be used in combination of two or more. The preferred content is in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁹ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻² mol per mol of silver, more preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol. In the present invention, the transition metal complex is preferably a six-coordinate complex represented by the following general formula.

In the general formula [ML ₆ ] ^m , M is a transition metal selected from elements of Groups _{6 to} ^{10 of the} periodic table, L is a bridging ligand, and m is 0, l-, 2-, 3-.
Or 4-. Specific examples of the ligand represented by L include halides (fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide), cyanide, cyanate, thiocyanate, selenocyanate, tellurocyanate, azide and aquo. Ligand, nitrosyl, thionitrosyl and the like, preferably aquo, nitrosyl and thionitrosyl. If an aquo ligand is present, it preferably occupies one or two of the ligands. L may be the same or different.

Preferred examples of the case where R is rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os) and iridium (lr) are shown below.

[0040] 1: [RhCl _6] ^3- 2: [RhCl ₅ (H ₂ O)] ^2- 3: [Rh (NO) ₂ Cl _4] 4: _{[Rh (NO) (H 2 O} ) Cl 4 ] ^- 5: [Rh (NS) Cl _5] ^2- 6: [RuCl _6] ^3- 7: [RuBr _6] ^3- 8: [Ru (NO) Cl _5] ^2- 9: [Ru (NO) (H ₂ O) Cl _4] ^- 10: [Ru (NS) Cl _5] ^2- 11: [RuBr ₄ (H ₂ O)] ^2- 12: [Ru (NO) CN _5] ^2- 13: [ReCl _6] ³ 14: [Re (NO) Cl _5] ^2- 15: [Re (NO) CN _5] ^2- 16: [Re (NO) ClCN _4] ^2- 17: [Re (NO) Cl _5] ^- 18: _{[Re (NS) Cl 4 (SeCN} ) ] ^2- 19: [OsCl _6] ^3- 20: [Os (NO) Cl _5] ^2- 21: _{[Os (NS) Cl 4 (TeCN} ) ] ^2- 22: [Os ( S) Cl (SCN) _4] ^2- 23: [IrCl ₅ ^2- 24: [Ir (NO) Cl _5] ^2- chromium, cobalt, for compounds of iron can be preferably used a hexacyano metal complex. Specific examples are shown below.

[0041] 25: [Cr (NO) Cl _5] ^2- 26: [CrCl _6] ^4- 27: [Fe (CN) _6] ^4- 28: [Fe (CN) _6] ^3- 29: [Co ( CN) ₆ ] ^3- A compound that provides an ion or a complex ion of these metals is preferably added during the formation of silver halide grains and incorporated into silver halide grains. Formation, growth, physical ripening, may be added at the stage before and after chemical sensitization, especially nucleation, growth,
It is preferably added at the stage of physical ripening, more preferably at the stage of nucleation and growth, and most preferably at the stage of nucleation. During the addition, the compound may be added in several divided portions, or may be uniformly contained in the silver halide grains.

The emulsion may be subjected to a water washing method such as a noodle washing method, flocculation sedimentation method and ultrafiltration method to remove soluble salts. As a preferred water washing method, for example, a method using an aromatic hydrocarbon aldehyde resin containing a sulfo group described in JP-B-35-16086, or an aggregating polymer agent G exemplified in JP-A-63-158644
3. A method using G8 or the like is a particularly preferred desalting method.

The photosensitive silver halide grains in the present invention are preferably chemically sensitized. Examples of the sensitization method include sulfur sensitization, selenium sensitization, tellurium sensitization, noble metal sensitization,
Known sensitization methods such as reduction sensitization can be used. Also,
These sensitization methods can be used in combination of two or more. For sulfur sensitization, thiosulfates, thiourea compounds, inorganic sulfur and the like can be used. Compounds preferably used for selenium sensitization and tellurium sensitization are described in JP-A-9-2.
No. 30527 can be mentioned. Compounds preferably used in the noble metal sensitization method include, for example, chloroauric acid, potassium chloroaurate, potassium aurithiocyanate, gold sulfide, gold selenide, US Pat. No. 2,448,060, and British Patent No. 618061.
And the like.

As specific compounds for the reduction sensitization method, ascorbic acid, thiourea dioxide, stannous chloride, hydrazine derivatives, borane compounds, silane compounds, polyamine compounds and the like can be used. Further, reduction sensitization can be achieved by ripening the emulsion while maintaining the pH of the emulsion at 7 or more or the pAg at 8.3 or less.

The light-sensitive element of the present invention contains, as spectral sensitizing dyes, cyanine dyes, merocyanine dyes, complex cyanine dyes, complex merocyanine dyes, holopolar cyanine dyes, styryl dyes, hemicyanine dyes, oxonol dyes, hemioxonol dyes and the like. Can be used. For example, JP-A-63-159811,
No. 60-140335, No. 63-231437, No. 63-259651, No. 63-304242, No. 6
No. 3-15245, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,414,
Nos. 4,740,455 and 4,741,966
No. 4,751,175, No. 4,835,09
The sensitizing dye described in No. 6 can be used. Useful sensitizing dyes for use in this invention include, for example, Research
Disclosure Item 176431V-A (p.23, December 1978), Item 183lX
(August 1978, p. 437). In particular, a sensitizing dye having a spectral sensitivity suitable for the spectral characteristics of the light source of various laser imagers and scanners can be advantageously selected. For example, JP-A-9-34078, JP-A-9-54409, and JP-A-9-54409
The compounds described in 80679 and the like are preferably used.

Useful cyanine dyes are, for example, cyanine dyes having a basic nucleus such as a thiazoline nucleus, an oxazoline nucleus, a pyrroline nucleus, a pyridine nucleus, an oxazole nucleus, a thiazole nucleus, a selenazole nucleus and an imidazole nucleus. Preferred useful merocyanine dyes include, in addition to the above basic nuclei, acidic nuclei such as a thiohydantoin nucleus, a rhodanine nucleus, an oxazolidinedion nucleus, a thiazolinedione nucleus, a barbituric acid nucleus, a thiazolinone nucleus, a malononitrile nucleus and a pyrazolone nucleus. Including.

These sensitizing dyes may be used alone or in combination, and the combination of sensitizing dyes is often used particularly for supersensitization. Along with the sensitizing dye, the emulsion may contain a dye which does not itself have a spectral sensitizing effect or a substance which does not substantially absorb visible light and exhibits supersensitization. Useful sensitizing dyes, combinations of dyes exhibiting supersensitization and substances exhibiting supersensitization are described in Research Disclosure (Research D).
176, 17643 (issued in December 1978), page 23, IV, J, or the aforementioned JP-B Nos. 9-25500 and 43-4933;
-19032 and 59-192242.

The spectral sensitizing dye can be added as a solution dissolved in an organic solvent such as methanol. Further, a dispersion in the form of solid fine particles can be prepared and added. The addition amount of the spectral sensitizing dye is not uniform depending on the kind of the dye and the emulsion conditions, but is preferably 1 to 900 mg, particularly preferably 5 to 400 mg per mol of silver halide. The spectral sensitizing dye is preferably added before the completion of the chemical ripening step, and may be added in several portions before the completion of the chemical ripening. More preferably, after the growth step of the silver halide grains and before the completion of the chemical ripening step, particularly preferably before the start of the chemical ripening.

In the present invention, chemical sensitization (chemical ripening)
In order to stop the reaction, it is preferable to use a chemical thermal stop agent in consideration of the stability of the emulsion. Examples of the chemical ripening inhibitor include halides (eg, potassium bromide, sodium chloride, etc.), organic compounds known as antifoggants or stabilizers (eg, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-
1,3,3a, 7-tetrazaindene) and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of a plurality of compounds.

The emulsion of the light-sensitive material used in the present invention comprises:
In the steps before and after physical ripening or chemical ripening, various photographic additives can be used. The photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer may contain various compounds for the purpose of preventing fogging during the production process, storage, or photographic processing of the photographic material and stabilizing photographic performance. These compounds include azoles (eg, benzothiazolium salts, nitroimidazoles, nitrobenzimidazoles, chlorobenzimidazoles, bromobenzimidazoles, mercaptothiazoles, mercaptobenzothiazoles, mercaptobenzimidazoles , Mercaptothiadiazoles, aminotriazoles, nitrobenzotriazoles, benzotriazoles), mercaptopyrimidines, mercaptotriazines, thioketo compounds, azaindenes (eg, triazaindenes, tetrazaindenes, pentaazaindenes) Well-known antifoggants and stabilizers such as benzenesulfonic acids, benzenesulfinic acids, benzenesulfonic acid amides and α-lipoic acid are preferably used.

Representative examples include 1-phenyl-2-mercaptotetrazole, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a, 7-tetrazaindene, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 5-carboxybutyl-1,2-dithiolane and the like. is there. For more specific examples of these and methods of using them, see, for example, US Pat.
No. 947 and JP-B No. 52-28660 can be used. The photosensitive element of the present invention may contain an inorganic or organic hardener. For example,
Chromium salts (chrome alum, chromium acetate, etc.), aldehydes (formaldehyde, glyoxal, etc.), N-
Methylol compounds (dimethylol urea, methylol dimethylhydantoin, etc.), dioxane derivatives (2,3-dihydroxy dioxane, etc.), active vinyl compounds (1,
3,5-triacryloyl-hexahydro-S-triazine, bis (vinylsulfonyl) methyl ether, etc.),
Mucohalogenic acids (such as mucochloric acid) and the like can be used alone or in combination.

A coating aid can be used in the silver halide emulsion layer and other hydrophilic colloid layers of the light-sensitive element of the present invention. As the coating aid, compounds described in Research Disclosure, Vol. 176, 17643, page 26 (1978) and compounds described in JP-A-61-20035 can be used. In addition, increased sensitivity,
For the purpose of increasing the contrast or accelerating the development, for example, polyalkylene oxide or derivatives thereof such as ethers, esters and amines, thioether compounds, thiomorpholines, quaternary ammonium compounds, urethane derivatives, urea derivatives, imidazole derivatives, 3-pyrazolidones And the like. Examples of such compounds include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,400,532 and 2,423,549.
No. 2,716.062, 3,617,280
No. 3,772,021, 3,808,003 and the like can be used.

The silver halide emulsion layer and other hydrophilic colloid layers of the light-sensitive element of the present invention may contain a dispersion of a water-insoluble or poorly-soluble polymer. For example, alkyl (meth) acrylate as a monomer component,
Alkoxyalkyl (meth) acrylate, glycidyl (meth) acrylamide, vinyl ester (for example, vinyl acetate), acrylonitrile, olefin, styrene, etc., alone or in combination, or acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, α, β-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid , Hydroxyalkyl (meth) acrylate, styrene sulfonic acid and the like can be used.

The protective layer in the photosensitive element of the present invention comprises a hydrophilic polymer such as gelatin, and is disclosed in JP-A-61-47.
No. 946, No. 61-75338, and a matting agent such as polymethyl methacrylate latex and silica, and / or a slipping agent.

In the light-sensitive element of the present invention, the silver halide emulsion layer and other hydrophilic colloid layers may contain a dye or an ultraviolet absorber for the purpose of preventing a filter or irradiation. In addition, the photosensitive element of the present invention may contain an antistatic agent and a plasticizer.

The image receiving element in the present invention is obtained by coating an image receiving layer containing silver precipitation nuclei on a support such as baryta paper, cellulose triacetate or a polyester compound. Such an image receiving element can be preferably prepared by coating a solution of a suitable cellulose ester (for example, cellulose diacetate) in which silver precipitation nuclei are dispersed, if necessary, on a subbed support. The obtained cellulose ester layer is subjected to alkaline hydrolysis to convert at least a part of the cellulose ester in the depth direction to cellulose. As an alkaline solution for alkaline hydrolysis, a mixed solution of lithium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide,
Alternatively, a mixed solution of lithium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is preferably used, and these alkali agents are preferably dissolved in methanol or ethanol. The addition amount of the alkaline agent is 0.1 per liter of the alkaline solution.
It is preferably from 3 mol to 3 mol, and particularly preferably from 0.5 mol to 2 mol. Glycerin is preferably added to the alkaline solution.

Specific examples of silver precipitation nuclei include heavy metals such as iron, lead, zinc, nickel, cadmium, tin, chromium, and the like.
Copper, cobalt, or noble metals such as gold, silver (including microcolloidal silver), platinum, palladium and the like. Also, heavy metal and sulfide salts of noble metals, the same selenide salts, for example,
Copper, aluminum, zinc, cobalt, nickel, silver,
Lead, antimony, bismuth, cerium, magnesium,
Gold, platinum, sulfide salts such as palladium, or lead, zinc,
Selenide salts such as antimony and nickel can also be preferably used. Silver halide grains which have been previously fogged are also reduced by development, and can be preferably used as silver precipitation nuclei as metallic silver.

The unhydrolyzed portions of the silver precipitation nucleus layer and / or the underlying unhydrolyzed cellulose ester, for example, the cellulose ester layer containing cellulose diacetate, may have the color tone of the silver transfer image, It is preferred to include one or more mercapto compounds to improve stability or other photographic performance.
This mercapto compound is disclosed in JP-A-49-120634.
No., JP-B-56-44418, British Patent 1,276,
No. 961, JP-B-56-21140, JP-A-59-2
Compounds described in JP-A-31537 and JP-A-60-122939 are preferred.

Further, it is preferred to provide a neutralizing acidic layer (neutralizing layer) between the image receiving layer and the support. For the neutralizing layer, for example, a polymer acid described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,164 is used. Preferred polymer acids are maleic anhydride copolymers (eg, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer,
Ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer) and (meth) acrylic acid copolymer (for example, acrylic acid-alkyl acrylate copolymer, acrylic acid-alkyl methacrylate copolymer, methacrylic acid-alkyl acrylate copolymer) Polymer, methacrylic acid-alkyl methacrylate copolymer). In addition, polymers containing sulfonic acids such as polyethylene sulfonic acid and acetalized products of benzaldehyde sulfonic acid and polyvinyl alcohol are also useful. The neutralized layer may contain a mercapto compound used in the unsaponified layer.

For the purpose of improving the physical properties of the membrane, these polymer acids may be mixed with a hydrolyzable non-alkaline biopolymer or alkali-permeable polymer. The image receiving element preferably has an image stabilizing layer for improving image storability, and a cationic polymer electrolyte is preferable as the stabilizer.
No. 66940, U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,995, JP-A-55-142339, JP-A-54-126027, and JP-A-5-126027.
Water-dispersed latex described in 4-155835 and 53-30328; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,548,564 and 3;
Nos. 148,061 and 3,756,814, polyvinylpyridinium salts, water-soluble quaternary ammonium salt polymers described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,690, or water-insoluble quaternaries described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,088. Ammonium salt polymers are preferred. As the binder for the image stabilizing layer, cellulose acetate is preferred, and cellulose diacetate having a degree of acetylation of 40 to 49% is particularly preferred. This image stabilizing layer is preferably provided between the above-mentioned neutralized layer and unsaponified layer. Further, the unsaponified layer or the neutralized layer may contain a white pigment (for example, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, kaolin, zinc dioxide, barium sulfate) for the purpose of preventing light piping.

It is preferable to provide a release layer on the surface of the image receiving layer in order to prevent the processing solution from adhering to the surface of the image receiving layer at the time of release after the development of the processing solution. As such a release layer, in addition to gum arabic, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, and sodium alginate, U.S. Patent Nos. 3,772,024 and 3,820,9
No. 99 and British Patent 1,360,653 can be used. As a method of shading, a method of including a shading agent (for example, carbon black or an organic black pigment) in the paper of the support or a method of applying the above-described shading agent on the back surface of the support and further whitening the same. It is preferable to apply a white pigment (for example, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, kaolin, zinc dioxide, barium sulfate) to the surface.

For the purpose of improving curling and brittleness, a moisture absorbent such as glycerin or a film quality improving agent such as polyethyl acrylate latex may be included. It is preferable to provide a protective layer on the uppermost layer. The protective layer can be made to contain a matting agent to improve the adhesiveness or to provide writing properties. Gelatin, cellulose ester, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like is used as a binder for the light-shielding layer and the protective layer.

The alkaline processing composition used in the present invention contains, as main components, a developing agent, a silver halide solvent and an alkaline agent. Examples of the developing agent include a benzene derivative in which at least two hydroxyl groups and / or amino groups are ortho- or para-substituted (for example, hydroquinone, pyrogallol, methol, glycine, amidol, p-aminophenol), and hydroxylamines, especially Primary aliphatic N-substituted, secondary aliphatic N-substituted, aromatic N-substituted or β-hydroxylamines such as hydroxylamine, N-methylhydroxylamine, N-ethylhydroxylamine, US Pat. No. 5,857,276, and U.S. Pat.
N-alkoxyalkyl-substituted hydroxylamines described in No. 93,034 are included. Also, JP-A-49-8
A hydroxylamine derivative having a tetrahydrofurfuryl group described in No. 8521 may also be used. In addition, West German Patent Application (OLS) 2,009,054 and 2,009,0
Aminoreductones described in Nos. 55 and 2,009,078 and heterocyclic aminoreductones described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,425 are also used. Further, a tetraalkyl reductic acid described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,440 can also be used.

The addition amount of these developing agents is determined by the alkali treatment.
0.5 × 10 per 100 g of the composition ^-25 × 10 from mole
^-2It is preferable to contain them in moles. With the aforementioned developing agents
Phenidones and p-aminophen as auxiliary developing agents
Enols and reductones can be used in combination.
It is preferable to use phenidone in combination. These aids
The amount of the developing agent added was 100 g of the alkaline processing composition.
0.2 × 10^-35 × 10 from mole^-3To be a mole
preferable.

The silver halide solvent used in the present invention includes thiosulfate, thiocyanate, uracil and derivatives thereof, those described in US Pat. No. 2,543,181,
Mention may be made of combinations of thioether compounds and cyclic imides with nitrogen bases, and the combinations described in US Pat. No. 2,857,274. Also, 1,1-bissulfonylalkane and its derivatives can be used as a silver halide solvent. The addition amount of these silver halide solvents is from 5 × 10 ^-4 to 5 × 10 ⁴ per 100 g of the alkaline processing composition.
^-1 mol is preferable, and particularly preferably 1.times.10.sup.- ³ to 5.times.10.sup.- ² mol. In order to spread the alkaline processing composition between the superposed photosensitive element and the image receiving element, the alkaline processing composition of the present invention preferably contains a polymer film forming agent or a thickener. Hydroxyethylcellulose and carboxymethylcellulose are particularly useful for this purpose and are included in the treatment composition in amounts that provide a reasonable viscosity. The processing composition may further contain a known auxiliary agent in the silver salt diffusion transfer method, for example, an antifoggant, a stabilizer, a color tone agent and the like. As these auxiliaries, for example, compounds described in JP-A-2-146542 and the like can be used. It is preferable to add a mercaptoimidazole compound to the alkaline processing composition for the purpose of reducing the processing temperature dependence of photographic performance and preventing the transfer image from becoming silver-mirror. By adding iodide to the alkaline processing composition, fluctuations in photographic performance when the processing composition is stored can be reduced.

[Examples] Preparation of photosensitive element The following layers were applied on a subbed support (PET) to prepare a photosensitive element.

(1) Photosensitive layer Gold / sulfur sensitized cubic silver iodobromide grains (average grain size: 0.25 μm, AgI content: 0.5 mol%) 1.0 g / m ² 4-hydroxy-6-methyl as silver -1,3,3a, 7-tetrazaindene 0.02 g / m ² sensitizing dye A 1.3 × 10 ⁻⁴ g / m ² gelatin 3.6 g / m ² sensitizing dye A

[0068]

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(2) Protective Layer Gelatin 0.8 g / m ² Polymethyl methacrylate particles (average diameter 5 μm) 0.1 g / m ² Sodium dihexylsulfosuccinate 0.02 g / m ² Bis (vinylsulfonyl) methyl ether 01g / m ² (3) back layer (3-1) light-shielding layer of carbon black 4.5 g / m ² gelatin 2.0 g / m ² (3-2) protective layer gelatin 0.8 g / ^{m 2} of polymethyl methacrylate particles ( Average diameter 5 μm) 0.1 g / m ² sodium dihexylsulfosuccinate 0.02 g / m ² bis (vinylsulfonyl) methyl ether 0.01 g / m ² 2. Preparation of Image Receiving Element The following layers were provided in order on a paper coated with polyethylene to prepare an image receiving element.

(1) Neutralization layer Cellulose acetate (degree of acetylation: 55%) 6.5 g / m ² methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer 4.5 g / m ² 1- (4-hexylcarbamoylphenyl) -2 -Mercaptoimidazole 0.3 g / m ² (2) Image stabilizing layer Cellulose acetate (degree of acetylation 46%) 5.0 g / m ² Polymer P 2.2 g / m ²

[0071]

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(3) Timing layer Cellulose acetate (55% acetylation degree) 8 g / m ² (4) Image receiving layer Cellulose acetate (55% acetylation degree) 2 g / m ² Palladium sulfide colloid 1.0 × 10 ⁻³ g / M ² 1- (4-hexylcarbamoylphenyl) -2-mercaptomidazole 0.01 g / m ² (5) Saponification The surface was saponified with a liquid mixture of 10 g of sodium hydroxide, 20 g of glycerin and 240 ml of methanol. Washed with water.

(6) Release Layer Butyl methacrylate-acrylic acid copolymer (molar ratio: 15:85) 0.1 g / m ² (7) Back layer A light-shielding layer, a white layer and a protective layer are provided on the surface of the support. Applied.

(7-1) Light-shielding layer Carbon black 4 g / m ² Gelatin 8 g / m ² (7-2) White layer Titanium dioxide 6 g / m ² Gelatin 0.8 g / m ² (7-3) Protective layer Polymethyl 2. Methacrylate particles (average diameter 5 μm) 0.2 g / m ² Gelatin 1.6 g / m ² Sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate 0.02 g / m ² Bis (vinylsulfonyl) methyl ether 0.03 g / m ² Preparation of treatment composition An alkaline treatment composition was prepared in a nitrogen stream according to the following formulation. After preparation, the cleavable container was filled with the treatment composition to produce a treatment composition.

Composition Addition amount Uracil 70 g Tetrahydropyrimidinethione 0.15 g Potassium hydroxide 220 g Triethanolamine 4.5 g 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (60% aqueous solution) 12 g Hydroxyethyl cellulose 35 g Zinc nitrate / 9H ₂ O 30 g potassium iodide 0.8 g N, N-bis (methoxyethyl) hydroxylamine (17% aqueous solution) 170 g 4-methyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidinone 7 g titanium dioxide 3.8 g water 1000 ml 4. Processing The photosensitive element was exposed to X-ray image information (foot bone image) obtained by the above-described flat panel detector with a semiconductor laser scanner of 820 nm, and a sample combined with the image receiving element and the processing composition was subjected to 25 ° C. After the developing process is performed so that the liquid thickness of the processing composition becomes 35 μm,
After 2 seconds, each was peeled off. An X-ray image excellent in both sharpness and granularity was obtained on the image receiving element.

[0076]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an X-ray image is taken out from a flat panel detector as an image signal, converted into a change in laser light intensity, and converted into a laser light intensity change. Scanning exposure to a silver photographic light-sensitive material, developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent, at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer to a transferable silver complex salt, At least a portion of the transferable silver complex salt is transferred to a silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer, an image is formed on the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer, and after the image formation, the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer is separated from the photosensitive element. By obtaining an X-ray image by using the method described above, a high-quality X-ray image with high sharpness and high resolution required for, for example, mammography and limb bones can be obtained quickly and reliably.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an X-ray image is extracted as an image signal from a flat panel detector, converted into a laser light intensity change, and scanned and exposed to a silver halide photographic material having a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer. Then, by developing with an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent, at least a part of the unexposed silver halide of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is converted to a transferable silver complex, and at least a part of the transferable silver complex is used. A part is transferred to a silver precipitation nucleus containing image receiving layer,
An image is formed on the silver-precipitated nucleus-containing image-receiving layer, and after forming the image, the silver-precipitated nucleus-containing image-receiving layer is separated from the photosensitive element to obtain an X-ray image. A high-quality X-ray image with sharpness and high resolution can be obtained quickly and reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an X-ray image forming system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a flat panel detector (FPD).

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a flat panel detector (FPD).

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser imager.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 X-ray tube 2 Flat panel detector 3 Image processing part 4 Network 5 CRT display 6 Laser imager 70 Control means 71 Exposure means 72 Transport means 73 Image forming apparatus

Claims (2)

[Claims] An X-ray image is captured by a flat panel detector, an X-ray image is extracted from the flat panel detector as an image signal, and converted into a laser light intensity change.
The silver halide photographic material having at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is scanned and exposed to light and developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent to form a photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer. At least a portion of the unexposed silver halide is a transferable silver complex salt, and at least a portion of the transferable silver complex salt is transferred to a silver precipitation nucleus-containing image receiving layer to form an image on the silver precipitation nucleus-containing image receiving layer. An X-ray image forming method, wherein an X-ray image is obtained by separating the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer from the photosensitive element after image formation. 2. An X-ray image forming system for capturing an X-ray image with a flat panel detector and extracting the X-ray image as an image signal from the flat panel detector, wherein the image signal is converted into a laser light intensity change. A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer is scanned and exposed to light and developed using an alkaline processing composition containing a silver halide solvent. At least a portion of the exposed silver halide is a transferable silver complex salt, and at least a portion of the transferable silver complex salt is transferred to a silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer to form an image on the silver precipitate nucleus-containing image receiving layer. After formation, the image-receiving layer containing silver precipitate nuclei is separated from the light-sensitive element to form X.
An X-ray image forming system comprising a device for obtaining a line image.