Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for processing photothermographic elements. The apparatus thermally develops a photothermographic element by heating the photothermographic element between a heated member, having a resilient layer, and a plurality of rollers. The apparatus can be a component of other apparatus and systems including those having the ability to expose the photothermographic element to form a latent image.

Abstract: A process for exposing a silver halide-containing photothermographic element with radiation to produce a latent image comprising a) providing a source of radiation which emits a beam of radiation to produce a spot having at least one dimension of height or length of less than 600 micrometers at a target site, b) providing at said target site a photothermographic silver halide element sensitive to radiation emitted by said radiation source, c) emitting radiation a first time in an imagewise distribution from said radiation source so that said radiation strikes said element as spots having at least one dimension of length or width which is less than 250 micrometers, and d) then emitting radiation a second time in an imagewise distributed manner so that at least some spots from radiation emitted said second time overlap spots where said first emitted radiation struck said photothermographic element.