Abstract: A radiation-image reading apparatus especially suited for reading weak X-ray diffraction images, including a radiation-image recording member formed of a support plate in the form of a disk having a phosphor layer, a light source for generating excitation light with which the phosphor layer is irradiated, a light detecting device for detecting light emitted from the phosphor layer of the radiation-image recording member when the phosphor layer is irradiated with the excitation light, the detecting device performing the detection at a position deviated from the optical axis of the excitation light, a condenser device for condensing the excitation light emitted from the light source to a point on the phosphor layer of the radiation-image recording member while changing divergent rays of light coming from the point on the phosphor layer, to which the excitation light is condensed, into parallel rays, a driving device for moving the position of the point on the phosphor layer of condensation effected by the conde