Abstract: Radiant energy imaged printed circuit boards are provided by treating an insulating base with a composition of a reducible metal salt and a radiant energy sensitive compound, exposing the treated base to radiant energy in selected areas to produce metallic nuclei in the form of a non-conducting real image of the desired circuit pattern, rinsing the exposed base to remove unexposed metal salts and exposing the real image to an electroless metal bath to build up conductor lines of electroless metal thereon. In an alternative procedure, conductor lines are built up by electroplating with the same or a different metal and, optionally, solder coating.