JPS6397937A - Reader for radiation image conversion panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the occurrence of trouble regarding the reception of a panel by applying a driving force for panel supply only by a roller or endless belt which is in contact with one surface of the panel during rotation. CONSTITUTION:A panel supply device S consists of a panel driving part 22 where a roller 21 for panel driving is fixed on the top surface 13 of a housing and a lid part 24 which has a driven roller 23 opposite the roller 21, and the lid part 24 is mounted on the panel driving part 22 so that the lid part can be opened and closed. Further, the panel driving roller 21 of the panel supply device S and the inside roller 111 of a panel receiving device E rotate synchronously with each other through a chain 25, etc., so that the supply speed of the panel from the panel supply device S is coincident with the receiving speed of the panel to the panel receiving device E. Consequently, the smooth supply of the panel is facilitated to securely prevent the panel from being broken and the surface of the panel from being flawed, thereby eliminating the need for a driven roller which supports the function.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a reading device for carrying out a radiation image conversion method using a radiation image conversion panel using a stimulable phosphor.

[Background of the Invention] As a method of obtaining a radiation image as an image, a so-called radiographic method has conventionally been used which uses a combination of a radiographic film having an emulsion layer made of a silver salt photosensitive material and an intensifying screen. Recently, a radiation image conversion method using a stimulable phosphor, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-12145, has attracted attention as an alternative to the number ray photography method. It became so. This radiation image conversion method utilizes a radiation image conversion panel (stimulable phosphor sheet) containing a stimulable phosphor.

The radiation transmitted through the subject or the radiation emitted from the subject is absorbed by the stimulable phosphor of the panel, and then the stimulable phosphor is exposed to electromagnetic waves (excitation light) such as visible light and infrared rays in a time series. By exciting the stimulable phosphor, the radiation energy accumulated in the stimulable phosphor is generated as fluorescence (stimulated luminescence), this fluorescence is read photoelectrically to obtain an electrical signal, and the obtained electricity is It converts signals into images.

The radiation image conversion panel used in the above radiation image conversion method is also called a stimulable phosphor sheet, and usually has a rectangular or square shape (the length of each side is about 20 to 50 cm).
It is a sheet whose basic structure consists of a support and a phosphor layer provided on one side of the support. Note that a transparent protective film made of a polymeric substance is generally provided on the surface of the phosphor layer to protect the phosphor layer from chemical alteration or physical impact.

The phosphor layer consists of a stimulable phosphor and a binder that contains and supports the stimulable phosphor in a dispersed state. After absorbing radiation such as X-rays, the stimulable phosphor absorbs visible light and When irradiated with electromagnetic waves (excitation light) such as infrared rays, it emits light (
It has the property of exhibiting (stimulated luminescence). Therefore, the object was penetrated. Alternatively, the radiation emitted from the subject is absorbed by the phosphor layer of the radiation image conversion panel in proportion to the radiation dose, and the radiation image of the subject or the subject (radiation image information) is displayed on the radiation image conversion panel. It is formed as an image of accumulated energy.

This energy accumulation image can be emitted as stimulated luminescence by time-series excitation with electromagnetic waves, and by photoelectrically reading this stimulated luminescence and converting it into an electrical signal, the radiation energy accumulation image can be imaged. It becomes legal to change the

1] The radiation image conversion method described above is suitable for medical treatment that uses the human body as the subject because it can obtain radiation images with a rich amount of information with a much lower exposure dose than conventional radiography methods. It is extremely advantageously used in direct medical radiography such as X&I radiography for diagnostic purposes.

The above method has also been found to be highly useful in autoradiography for separating, identifying, and evaluating properties of biologically derived macromolecular substances such as proteins and nucleic acids.

Conventionally, in order to implement a radiation image conversion method using a radiation image conversion panel, recording of a radiation image on the panel,
Devices are used that are equipped with various processing functions, such as photoelectrically reading the radiation image from the panel and erasing the radiation image remaining on the panel after reading, either separately or in combination. In particular, when carrying out a radiation image conversion method using a device in which radiation image recording a-travel and reading contact are separately provided, image information accumulated and recorded on the panel due to exposure may be lost and In order to avoid problems such as deterioration in the image quality of reproduced images based on the radiation image, radiation image conversion panels are usually housed one by one in a light-shielding case called a cassette, and radiation images are recorded on the panels in this state.

Thereafter, the cassette is attached to a reading device, a panel is taken out from the attached cassette, and the accumulated and recorded radiation image is read.

Generally, a panel is removed from a mounted cassette by a cassette removal means, such as a suction cup, provided within the device.

By the way, when a radiation conversion panel on which radiation images are stored and recorded is left in a bright room and exposed to light, the degree of disappearance of the radiation images stored on the panel is limited to the extent that the exposure time is extremely short. It is relatively small.

However, when the panel is used for medical purposes,
Radiation image information is image information that directly targets the human body (
(X-ray images of parts of the human body), high accuracy is required for the image quality. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid deterioration in image quality during exposure as much as possible, and in many cases it is essential to handle the panel while storing it in the cassette.

On the other hand, in radiographic image information obtained using autoradiography, the image information is used to obtain positional information such as electrophoretic separation patterns of radioactively labeled nucleic acid decomposition products (image information (can recognize patterns), it is generally not required to have high accuracy in terms of image quality resolution, etc., compared to the case of medical use. For this reason, the panel does not necessarily need to be mounted on the reading device while being housed in a cassette, and it is conceivable that the panel may be mounted directly on the reading device as it is naked. By doing so, there is no need to separately provide a means for taking out the panel from the cassette in the device, the device can be made more compact, and the reading device can be manufactured at a lower cost.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention provides a radiation image converting panel that is equipped with an auxiliary tool that facilitates the introduction of a radiation image conversion panel in which radiographic image information is stored and recorded into a reading device in a naked state. Its purpose is to provide a reading device for conversion panels.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides a reading unit that photoelectrically reads radiation image information stored and recorded on a radiation image conversion panel containing a stimulable phosphor, and a panel transport unit that transports the panel to the reading unit. ,
and a radiation image conversion panel reading device in which a panel receiving section for receiving a panel from the outside and transferring it to a panel transport section is accommodated in a housing, a panel feeding device for supplying a radiation image conversion panel to the panel receiving section. and is equipped with a panel feeding device in which the driving force for feeding the panels is substantially provided only by a roller or an endless belt that rotatably contacts one side of the panel. A reading device for a radiation image conversion panel is provided.

[Operations and Effects of the Invention] By using the radiation image conversion panel reading device equipped with the panel supply device of the present invention, the radiation image conversion panel in which radiation image information has been accumulated and recorded can be introduced into the reading device in a naked state. If the installation operation causes damage to the panel,
This can be easily done without causing any trouble such as scratching the surface of the panel.

[Detailed Description of the Invention] A radiation image conversion panel reading device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the reading section and the entire internal structure of the radiation image conversion panel of the present invention. Although the operation of the reading unit of the reading device is already well known, in order to facilitate understanding of the reading device of the radiation image conversion panel of the final IJI, the device will be briefly described next.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reading section 2to includes a reading section R that photoelectrically reads radiographic image information stored and recorded on the panel, and a transport section A that transports the panel to the reading section R. is housed in the housing 11, and in front of the transport section A, a panel receiving section E is provided on the "-" side of the housing 11 for receiving panels from the outside and transferring them to the panel transport section. 0 Panel supply bag of the present invention 2? S is provided adjacent to the panel receiving section E.

The radiation image conversion panel P on which radiation image information is recorded is
The device is supplied from a panel supply port 12 provided on the upper surface 13 of the housing 11.

The panel P is connected to an inner driven roller 111. which is a component of the panel receiving portion E. The panel is taken into the apparatus while being held between both sides by an outer conveyor belt (endless conveyor belt) 112 for driving the panel forward, and then transferred to a guide member 113 arranged approximately vertically.

The panel receiving section E includes a mechanism for conveying the received panel P while bending it in order to change the traveling direction of the received panel P as shown in the figure. This mechanism includes at least two rollers 112a, 112 located outside the housing.
an outer endless conveyor belt 112 (the driving of the panel is preferably carried out by this outer endless conveyor belt) supported by the outer endless conveyor belt 112) and an inner roller 111 ( It may be an inner endless conveyor belt, but in any case its rotation is preferably a driven rotation caused by the movement of the outer endless conveyor belt, which comes into contact under pressure via the panel P. Contains.

The outer endless conveyor belt 112 has rollers 1 supporting it.
By rotating the axis of the roller 12a (which may be the roller 112b on the other side) as the rotation axis, the other roller 112
It is preferable that the panel be able to slide off from the opposing inner roller (or inner endless conveyor belt), open outward, and release the engagement on the side b. Panel P stops at receiving section E.
It has the advantage of being easy to take out if it accumulates.

The panel P that has passed through the guide member 113 is further moved to a substantially right-angled conveyor belt 114 disposed at the lower corner of the device.
will be moved to

Next, the panel P is located at the bottom of the case, and the reading section R is disposed at the top. It is transferred from near the end of the conveyor belt 114 to a conveyor belt 115 that is provided substantially horizontally. The reading section R is equipped with a laser light source 116. Laser light 1 is provided on the laser light output side of the laser light source 116.
Mirror 116 for reflecting 16a and changing its direction
b. A galvanometer mirror 116C for performing main scanning by reflecting and deflecting the laser beam 116a and irradiating the panel.
1 and a condensing reflective mirror 116d for efficiently condensing stimulated luminescence light emitted from the panel. At the scanning position of the laser beam 116a on the panel, a condensing optical element 116e is arranged along the main scanning line and for condensing the stimulated luminescence light emitted from the panel onto the condensing reflection mirror 116d. A photomultiplier 11 is mounted on the top of the condensing optical element 116e as a photoelectric reading means.
6f is installed.

In the reading section R having the above configuration, the radiation image (radiation image information) recorded on the panel P is read. That is, the laser beam 116a is emitted from the laser light source 116, and the galvanometer mirror 116ctl is oscillated,
As a result, the panel L on which the radiation image has been accumulated and recorded is main-scanned with the laser beam 116a. Also, at the same time, the panel P is conveyed to the conveyor bell) 115 and moves forward.
Sub-scanning is performed, thereby performing two-dimensional scanning. Stimulated luminescence light emitted from the panel by scanning with the laser beam 116a is transmitted directly or through the condensing reflecting mirror 116d.
The light is reflected by the condensing optical element 116e and enters the inside of the condensing optical element 116e from the incident end face thereof.

Photo multiplier 116f guided by total reflection
The stimulated luminescent light is read out photoelectrically.

The photoelectrically read image signal is reproduced as a visible image by a CRT display device or the like based on this image signal.

The panel P for which the reading operation has been completed is further transferred to the conveyor belt) 11
7. The liquid is discharged via a pair of rollers 118 and the like to a tray 119 disposed at a panel discharge port 14 located on the side of the device.

Next, a radiation image conversion panel supply device, which is a characteristic feature of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 showing examples of its configuration.

As mentioned above, the radiation image storage panel is composed of a support and a phosphor layer provided on one side of the support. Therefore, although it exhibits flexibility, it is quite rigid. For this reason, if the panel received in the panel receiving section E is bent while being held under pressure between the drive belt and the driven roller (or the driven belt, the same applies hereinafter), it will exhibit high resistance, and in some cases may be moved. may stop and remain in that position. In particular, when the angle of bending is at or near a right angle, the panel exhibits strong resistance to bending pressure.

Therefore, when supplying the panel to the panel receiving section E,
If you force the panel in or slow down the supply speed too much, there will be a large discrepancy between the panel supply speed and the conveyance speed of the panel receiving section, which tends to cause the panels to stay in the panel receiving section. If panels are manually supplied to the panel receiving section, there is often a problem in that troubles are likely to occur in the panel receiving section.

The present invention provides a panel supply device for reducing the occurrence of troubles related to panel reception as described above.

The panel supply device of the present invention is a panel supply device for supplying a radiation image conversion panel to a panel receiving portion, and the panel supply device applies the driving force for supplying the panel to substantially one side of the panel while rotating. This is a panel feeding device that is adapted to apply only by a roller or an endless belt.

As described above, recorded information from the radiation image conversion panel is read by irradiating the surface with laser light and detecting the stimulated luminescence light generated from that part. Therefore, in order not to reduce the detection accuracy of recorded information,
It is a very important requirement to avoid physical or chemical changes such as scratches and dirt on the surface of the panel as much as possible.

For this reason, in the panel feeding device of the present invention, the driving force for advancing the panel is applied substantially only by a roller or an endless belt that rotatably contacts one side of the panel.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the panel supply device S and panel receiving section E in FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the panel supply device s shown in the figure, seen in the direction of the arrow.

Here, the panel supply device S includes a panel driving roller 21
(- number of rollers may be used, but it is preferable that the rollers be composed of a plurality of rollers as shown in FIG. 3, so that the whole functions as one panel driving roller.) is attached to the upper surface 13 of the housing. Fixed panel drive unit 2
2 and a lid part 24 having a driven roller 23 at a position facing the roller 21, and an example is shown in which the lid part 24 is attached to the panel drive part 22 so as to be openable and closable. Note that the panel drive roller itself may be directly connected to the drive source, but as will be described later, by being connected to any roller on the panel receiving section side,
The rotational energy, that is, the panel driving energy may be obtained from the panel receiving section side.

That is, the panel P is normally introduced into the panel receiving part E with the phosphor layer side facing down in order to facilitate reading in the reader and to avoid unnecessary exposure. It is preferable that the panel feeding device is provided with its panel advance drive section so that its panel contact drive section faces upward.

Furthermore, the panel drive roller 21 of the panel supply device S is set so that the speed at which the panel is supplied from the panel supply device S and the speed at which the panel receiving section E receives the panel match.
It is desirable that the inner roller 111 of the panel receiving unit 2tE and the inner roller 111 of the panel receiving unit 2tE rotate synchronously via a chain 25 or the like. It becomes easier to smoothly supply the panel to E, and damage to the panel and occurrence of scratches on the surface of the panel can be more reliably prevented.

Note that both the panel driving roller and the driven roller may be endless belts instead of rollers, and the panel driving roller or the driven roller (endless belt) that assists the operation of the endless belt is not necessarily a roller. Not required.

That is, for example, as shown in FIG.
7. In this case as well,
It is desirable that either one of the rotating support rollers 26 rotates synchronously with a roller of the panel receiving device via a chain 25 or the like.

In the above explanation, an example is shown in which the panel supply device is fixed to the housing, but it is of course possible to prepare the panel supply device separately and use it by attaching it to the housing when necessary. be.

In addition, in the above, the radiation image conversion panel reading device of the present invention has been described using as an example a device equipped with only a reader section as its processing machine, but the radiation image conversion panel reading device of the present invention , other functions such as a function (erase 811) for erasing the radiation image (radiation image fg) remaining on the panel even after the reading process may be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a radiation image conversion panel reading device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the panel supply device S and panel receiving section E in FIG. 1. 3 t'l is a top view of the panel supply device S of FIG. 2 viewed from the direction of the arrow. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the panel supply device of the present invention. A: Panel transport system E: Panel receiving section P: Radiation image conversion panel R: Reading section S: Panel supply device 1O: Reading device 11: Housing 12: Panel supply port 13: Upper surface of the housing 14: Panel ejection [21 : Panel drive roller 22: Panel drive unit 23: Followed roller 24: 4 parts 25: Chain 26: Rotating support roller 27, endless belt 111: Inner roller 112: Conveyor belt (outer endless conveyor belt) 112a:
Roller 112b: Roller 113 Nigite member 114.115.117: i Feed belt 116: Laser light source 116a: Laser light 116b: Mirror L16c: Galhanometer mirror 116d: Condensing reflective mirror 116e: Condensing optical element 116f: Photo Multibriar 118: Roller vs. 119: L-Ray Patent Applicant Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Yasushi Yanagawa Procedural Amendment January 29, 1988 Patent Application No. 243559 2, Invention Name Radiation Image Conversion Panel Reader 3, Relationship with the Amendment Case Patent Applicant Name (520) Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. 4, Agent Address 6, 8th Floor, Mitsuya Yotsuya Building, 2-14 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo , Number of inventions increased by amendment None 7. Subject of amendment: "Detailed Description of the Invention" column of the specification.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A reading unit that photoelectrically reads radiation image information stored and recorded on a radiation image conversion panel containing a stimulable phosphor, and a panel transport unit that transports the panel to the reading unit; and a radiation image conversion panel reading device in which a panel receiving section for receiving a panel from the outside and transferring it to a panel transport section is accommodated in a housing, a panel feeding device for supplying a radiation image conversion panel to the panel receiving section. and is equipped with a panel feeding device in which the driving force for feeding the panels is substantially applied only by a roller or an endless belt that rotationally contacts one side of the panel. A reading device for a radiation image conversion panel featuring features. 2. The drive roller or endless belt of the panel supply device and the panel reception device are rotated in conjunction so that the speed at which the panel is supplied from the panel supply device matches the speed at which the panel reception section receives the panel. A radiation image conversion panel reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. Claims characterized in that the roller or endless belt that provides the driving force for supplying the panel of the panel supply device is provided so that the surface that contacts the panel is on the upper surface side. 2. A reading device for a radiation image conversion panel according to item 1. 4. The panel supply device includes a panel driving section fixed to the upper surface of the housing including a driving roller or endless belt, and a lid section having a driven roller or driven endless belt at a position facing the roller or endless belt. 2. The radiation image conversion panel reading device according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion is attached to the panel drive portion so as to be openable and closable. 5. The radiation image information accumulated and recorded in the radiation image conversion panel is characterized in that it is positional information of a radiolabeled polymeric substance obtained by imparting a radioactive label to a biologically derived polymeric substance. A radiation image conversion panel reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.