Abstract: A radiation image readout apparatus scans an excitation light in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction over a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which radiation energy has been stored, and detects the stimulated emission emitted thereupon; wherein, various types of phosphor sheets can be read out at a high resolution and high sensitivity. The excitation light energy level for obtaining an adequate sensitivity for each type of phosphor sheet is obtained. A controller controls the intensity of the excitation light emitted from the light source and the speed of the scanning mechanism, that is, the readout speed, whereby the excitation light projected onto a phosphor sheet of which the diffusion rate has been controlled by the inclusion therein of an navy blue colorant is of a greater energy level than the excitation light projected onto the white stimulable phosphor sheet not containing the navy blue colorant.

Abstract: A stimulable phosphor sheet stored thereon a radiation image is two-dimensionally scanned by a stimulating light beam by projecting the light beam along a main scanning line extending in a main scanning direction and moving one of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the stimulating light beam in a sub-scanning direction relatively to the other so that the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to the stimulating light beam along a plurality of main scanning lines arranged in the sub-scanning direction at a predetermined pitch and stimulated emission emitted from the part of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the stimulating light beam is photoelectrically converted to an electric image signal by a photoelectric convertor. The power of the stimulating light beam is controlled depending on the pitch at which the main scanning lines are arranged in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: A scanner includes laser stimulating ray sources, a motor for an objective lens incorporated in a confocal optical system and a controller adapted to produce position data by placing a sample carrier in which five distance measuring devices are set on a sample stage, and measuring a distance between the objective lens and a reference position on the distance measuring devices and a distance between the objective lens and measurement positions on the distance measuring devices, to produce focus position data produced by setting a luminescent material included in a focus position determination device at the reference position, scanning the focus position determination device with the laser beam, detecting fluorescence emission, and changing the position of the objective lens with a predetermined pitch, and to cause the motor to adjust the position of the objective lens based on the focus position data corrected with the position data.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes three laser stimulating ray sources, a stage on which two or more kinds of image carriers can selectively be placed, a scanning mechanism for scanning the image carrier with a laser beam emitted from the laser stimulating ray sources, thereby stimulating the image carrier, a light detector for photoelectrically detecting light emitted from the image carrier in response to stimulation by the laser beam and a confocal optical system for leading light emitted from the image carrier to the light detector, the image reading apparatus further including a confocal switching member having pinholes of different diameters and disposed between the confocal optical system and the light detector.

Abstract: A radiation image readout apparatus scans an excitation light in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction over a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which radiation energy has been stored, and detects the stimulated emission emitted thereupon; wherein, various types of phosphor sheets can be read out at a high resolution and high sensitivity. The excitation light energy level for obtaining an adequate sensitivity for each type of phosphor sheet is obtained. A controller controls the intensity of the excitation light emitted from the light source and the speed of the scanning mechanism, that is, the readout speed, whereby the excitation light projected onto a phosphor sheet of which the diffusion rate has been controlled by the inclusion therein of an navy blue colorant is of a greater energy level than the excitation light projected onto the white stimulable phosphor sheet not containing the navy blue colorant.

Abstract: A scanner includes three laser stimulating ray sources each adapted for emitting a laser beam, a sample stage on which a sample carrier for carrying five samples is to be placed, a scanning mechanism for moving the sample stage in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction, a confocal optical system, a motor for an objective lens incorporated in the confocal optical system, a light detector for photoelectrically detecting light, a non-volatile memory, and a controller, the non-volatile memory being constituted so as to store position data produced by setting five distance measuring devices in the sample, placing the sample carrier on the sample stage, and measuring a distance between the objective lens and a reference position on a surface of one of the distance measuring devices set in the sample carrier and a distance between the objective lens and measurement positions on the surface of the one of the distance measuring devices different from the reference position, and to store focus positi

Abstract: A stimulable phosphor sheet stored thereon a radiation image is two-dimensionally scanned by a stimulating light beam by projecting the light beam along a main scanning line extending in a main scanning direction and moving one of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the stimulating light beam in a sub-scanning direction relatively to the other so that the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to the stimulating light beam along a plurality of main scanning lines arranged in the sub-scanning direction at a predetermined pitch and stimulated emission emitted from the part of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the stimulating light beam is photoelectrically converted to an electric image signal by a photoelectric convertor. The power of the stimulating light beam is controlled depending on the pitch at which the main scanning lines are arranged in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: A DNA chip favorably employable for detecting a DNA fragment complementary to the oligo- or polynucleotide fixed to the chip is composed of a solid carrier and oligonucleotide or polynucleotide which is fixed to the carrier in the presence of a hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: An image analyzing apparatus includes a plurality of stimulating ray sources, a light detector and an image reading apparatus for producing image data by photoelectrically detecting fluorescence emission by the light detector, the image analyzing apparatus further including a template producing section for producing a template based on template data produced by photoelectrically detecting by the light detector of the image reading apparatus a plurality of spots of a specific binding substance formed on a substrate by spot-like dropping the specific binding substance and defining regions of interest to be quantified based on the template, and a quantitative analyzer for defining regions of interest to be quantified in the image data based on the template produced by the template producing section and effecting quantitative analysis.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes three laser stimulating ray sources, a stage on which two or more kinds of image carriers can selectively be placed, a scanning mechanism for scanning the image carrier with a laser beam emitted from the laser stimulating ray sources, thereby stimulating the image carrier, a light detector for photoelectrically detecting light emitted from the image carrier in response to stimulation by the laser beam and a confocal optical system for leading light emitted from the image carrier to the light detector, the image reading apparatus further including a confocal switching member having pinholes of different diameters and disposed between the confocal optical system and the light detector.

Abstract: An autoradiographic process for obtaining locational information on two or more radioactively labeled substances which have different energy or half-life and are contained in a sample such as tissue of an organism. Specifically, the process includes the steps of placing the sample on a stimulable phosphor sheet having a plastic cover layer to cause the stimulable phosphor to absorb radiation energy of the labeled substances and reading the absorbed radiation energy out of the phosphor to obtain an image signal corresponding to one radioactively labeled substance and placing the sample on a stimulable phosphor sheet having a thinner plastic cover layer or no cover film to cause the stimulable phosphor to absorb radiation energy of the labeled substances and reading the absorbed radiation energy out of the phosphor to obtain image signals corresponding to plural radioactively labeled substances.