Abstract: A novel fiber optic cable having a bifurcated bundle of optical fibers comprised of emitter fiber(s) and collecting fiber(s), a means for focusing light into the proximal end of the emitter fiber(s), a means for focusing light out of the distal end of the emitter fiber(s), and a means for collecting light in the distal end of the collecting fiber(s) is used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of storage phosphor imaging plate scanning. The novel fiber optic cable is used in a storage phosphor imaging plate scanner to transmit light from a light source to the phosphors on the storage phosphor imaging plate and to collect any phosphorescence induced by the light. Use of the bifurcated fiber bundle with the means for focusing light into the emitter fiber(s), focus light out of the emitter fiber(s), and collect light in the collecting fiber(s) provides a method to scan storage phosphor imaging plates with high sensitivity and specificity.