Abstract: A radiation image stored in a stimulable phosphor sheet is read out by exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays which cause it to emit light in proportion to the radiation energy stored, and photoelectrically detecting the emitted light. Prior to final read-out for obtaining an electric image signal used for reproducing a visible image, preliminary read-out is conducted by uniformly exposing the whole surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays to have the whole surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet emit light, detecting the amount of the light emitted by a specific region of the stimulable phosphor sheet, and grasping the radiation image information on the basis of the detected light amount.

Abstract: In a radiation image recording and reproducing system wherein preliminary read-out and final read-out are conducted for detecting a radiation image stored in a stimulable phosphor sheet, a characteristic value of the radiation image information of a specific region of the stimulable phosphor sheet is calculated on the basis of the radiation image information of the specific region obtained by the preliminary read-out. Final read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions are adjusted on the basis of the characteristic value, thereby simplifying the algorithm for the adjustment.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out method comprises the steps of detecting the amount of light instantaneously emitted by a specific region of a stimulable phosphor sheet when the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to a radiation passing through an object to have a radiation image of the object stored therein, and adjusting read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions on the basis of the detected light amount. The stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated through an image recording section, a read-out section, and an erasing section by conveyor belts and reused for image recording.

Abstract: An apparatus for erasing a residual image on a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises a detector for detecting the distribution of residual radiation energy in a predetermined direction, a linear erasing light source extending in the width direction of the stimulable phosphor sheet normal to the predetermined direction, a device for moving the stimulable phosphor sheet with respect to the linear light source in the predetermined direction, and a controller for controlling the linear light source and/or the movement device to adjust the light exposure amount at each portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet on the basis of the output of the detector.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus is provided with a body comprising a system for conveying stimulable phosphor sheets for recording radiation images along a path, and an image recording section and an image read-out section which are positioned on the path. The apparatus body is provided with a section positioned at the upstream end of the path for feeding the stimulable phosphor sheets to the sheet conveying system, and a section positioned at the downstream end of the path for ejecting the stimulable phosphor sheets from the sheet conveying system. Or, the apparatus body is connected by conveyor belts with an erasing unit for erasing radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheets after image read-out. The apparatus body and the erasing unit are positioned independently of each other in spaced relation by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an image recording section for recording a radiation image of an object on a stimulable phosphor sheet, an image read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet by stimulating rays and for detecting the light emitted thereby upon stimulation, and an erasing section for releasing the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet. The stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated through these sections by conveyor belts and reused for image recording. Erasing conditions at the erasing section are adjusted so that the stimulable phosphor sheet is conveyed out of the erasing section at time intervals approximately equal to the image read-out time at the image read-out section.

Abstract: A method of adjusting radiation image read-out conditions used in a radiation image recording and reproducing system wherein preliminary read-out and final read-out are conducted for detecting the radiation image stored in a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises the step of determining a histogram of the amount of light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet when it is exposed to stimulating rays during the preliminary read-out. Read-out conditions are adjusted on the basis of a histogram section ranging from the maximum light emission amount in the histogram to a value determined by image recording conditions.

Abstract: In a method of reading out a radiation image stored in a stimulable phosphor sheet by scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet by stimulating rays, preliminary read-out and final read-out are conducted. The read-out line density of the stimulating rays in the final read-out is detected in advance. Image read-out conditions and/or image processing conditions adjusted on the basis of image information obtained by the preliminary read-out are corrected in accordance with the read-out line density in the final read-out so that the same final read-out image information and/or the same image signal after image processing is obtained from the stimulable phosphor sheet carrying the same image information stored therein.