Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a soft part image generation unit that generates a soft part image representing a soft part region with a soft tissue of a subject from a first radiographic image and a second radiographic image acquired by radiation having different energy distributions transmitted through the subject, and a muscle mass derivation unit that derives a muscle mass based on a pixel value for each pixel of the soft part region of the soft part image.

Abstract: An image obtainment unit obtains a radiographic image radiographed by irradiating a subject with radiation. A first information obtainment unit obtains information about at least one of a radiography condition during radiography of the subject, a subject condition and detector characteristics, which are characteristics of the radiation detector. A second information obtainment unit obtains body thickness information representing the body thickness of the subject. A target S/N setting unit sets a target S/N of the radiographic image based on the body thickness information and the information about at least one of the radiography condition, the subject condition and the detector characteristics. An image processing unit corrects the S/N of the radiographic image to the target S/N by performing, on the radiographic image, noise removal processing.

Abstract: An image obtainment unit obtains a radiographic image radiographed by irradiating a subject with radiation. A first information obtainment unit obtains information about at least one of a radiography condition during radiography of the subject, a subject condition and detector characteristics, which are characteristics of the radiation detector. A second information obtainment unit obtains body thickness information representing the body thickness of the subject. A target S/N setting unit sets a target S/N of the radiographic image based on the body thickness information and the information about at least one of the radiography condition, the subject condition and the detector characteristics. An image processing unit corrects the S/N of the radiographic image to the target S/N by performing, on the radiographic image, noise removal processing.

Abstract: The amount of time spent extracting linear noise components is reduced, when removing linear noise components from an image. A reduced image is generated, by reducing a radiation image in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions. A linear noise image that represents linear noise components in the Y direction is generated, by extracting linear noise components from the reduced image. Thereafter, the generated linear noise image is enlarged to the image size of the original image; the linear noise components are removed from the radiation image, employing the enlarged linear noise image.

Abstract: The amount of time spent extracting linear noise components is reduced, when removing linear noise components from an image. A reduced image is generated, by reducing a radiation image in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions. A linear noise image that represents linear noise components in the Y direction is generated, by extracting linear noise components from the reduced image. Thereafter, the generated linear noise image is enlarged to the image size of the original image; the linear noise components are removed from the radiation image, employing the enlarged linear noise image.

Abstract: A flat-type fluorescent lamp is used as a light source of a color thermal printer. The flat-type fluorescent lamp has a yellow luminescent surface for emitting yellow fixing rays, and a magenta luminescent surface for emitting magenta fixing rays. The respective luminescent surfaces are disposed back to back and are selectively activated by a lamp driving circuit. The flat-type fluorescent lamp is rotatable between a first position where the yellow luminescent surface confronts a recording surface of a color thermosensitive recording paper, and a second position where the magenta luminescent surface confront the recording surface of the recording paper.

Abstract: A width of an LED array in a scanning direction is determined in accordance with a width of thermosensitive recording paper. A plurality of LEDs is arranged in the LED array in such a way that an arranging pitch between the LEDs are lessened from a center area toward side edge areas of the LED array. Thus, an arranging density of the LEDs increases from the center area toward the side edge areas of the LED array, so that radiated fixing light becomes uniform in a width direction of the thermosensitive recording paper. As a result, unevenness in fixing is prevented. Further, irradiation efficiency in the side edge areas of the LED array is improved by providing reflectors on both side edges of the LED array. Accordingly, the unevenness in fixing is prevented more efficiently.

Abstract: A color thermal printer includes a photo fixer, which is constituted by a Braun tube. An electron beam gun emits electron. A fluorescent screen is excited by the electron, for generating near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays. An image on thermosensitive recording material is fixed by application of the near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp comprises a cathode panel, an anode panel and a light-output panel. A filament and grid electrodes are attached to the cathode panel. The anode panel is provided with a reflection layer and a fluorescent layer. The light-output panel is made of a transparent glass plate and is disposed on a plane different from the cathode panel and the anode panel. An electron beam emitted from the filament collides with the fluorescent layer. Upon this, the fluorescent layer is excited to emit light. The emitted light is reflected by the reflection layer to radiate from the light-output panel toward the outside of the fluorescent lamp. At this time, the light does not pass through the grid electrodes and the filament so that optical unevenness is prevented from occurring.

Abstract: A color thermal printer includes feeder rollers for feeding thermosensitive recording material through a feeding path. A thermal head operates for thermal recording of an image in a recording region of the recording material being fed. An unused region is defined outside the recording region. A photo fixer fixes the image on the recording material by application of ultraviolet or violet rays thereto. A liquid crystal shutter unit is disposed between the photo fixer and the recording material, and includes plural shutter segments. The plural shutter segments are arranged in a form of plural parallel lines, and changeable independently between an opaque state and a transparent state, and when in the opaque state, block the ultraviolet or violet rays, and when in the transparent state, cause the rays to pass.

Abstract: A color thermal printer includes feeder rollers for feeding thermosensitive recording material through a feeding path. A thermal head operates for thermal recording of an image in a recording region of the recording material being fed. An unused region is defined outside the recording region. A photo fixer fixes the image on the recording material by application of ultraviolet or violet rays thereto. A liquid crystal shutter unit is disposed between the photo fixer and the recording material, and includes plural shutter segments. The plural shutter segments are arranged in a form of plural parallel lines, and changeable independently between an opaque state and a transparent state, and when in the opaque state, block the ultraviolet or violet rays, and when in the transparent state, cause the rays to pass.

Abstract: A flat-type fluorescent lamp is used as a light source of a color thermal printer. The flat-type fluorescent lamp has a yellow luminescent surface for emitting yellow fixing rays, and a magenta luminescent surface for emitting magenta fixing rays. The respective luminescent surfaces are disposed back to back and are selectively activated by a lamp driving circuit. The flat-type fluorescent lamp is rotatable between a first position where the yellow luminescent surface confronts a recording surface of a color thermosensitive recording paper, and a second position where the magenta luminescent surface confront the recording surface of the recording paper.

Abstract: A color thermal printer includes a photo fixer, which is constituted by a Braun tube. An electron beam gun emits electron. A fluorescent screen is excited by the electron, for generating near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays. An image on thermosensitive recording material is fixed by application of the near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp comprises a cathode panel, an anode panel and a light-output panel. A filament and grid electrodes are attached to the cathode panel. The anode panel is provided with a reflection layer and a fluorescent layer. The light-output panel is made of a transparent glass plate and is disposed on a plane different from the cathode panel and the anode panel. An electron beam emitted from the filament collides with the fluorescent layer. Upon this, the fluorescent layer is excited to emit light. The emitted light is reflected by the reflection layer to radiate from the light-output panel toward the outside of the fluorescent lamp. At this time, the light does not pass through the grid electrodes and the filament so that optical unevenness is prevented from occurring.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heat sensitive type printer wherein glass plates (36, 37, 38) are secured at one ends to thermal heads (26, 27, 28), and extend substantially in parallel to a paper transport path of a heat sensitive color recording paper (14). Surface luminous devices (31, 32) for fixing coloring layers of the recording paper optically are disposed adjacent to heat sinks of the thermal heads with their light emission surfaces facing the paper transport path through the glass plates. Cooling fans send air into between the heat sinks and the surface luminous devices, to cool the heat sinks. Thereafter, the air guide guides the air to flow along a gap between the light emission surface and the glass plate, thereby to cool the light emission surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heat sensitive type printer wherein glass plates (36, 37, 38) are secured at one ends to thermal heads (26, 27, 28), and extend substantially in parallel to a paper transport path of a heat sensitive color recording paper (14). Surface luminous devices (31, 32) for fixing coloring layers of the recording paper optically are disposed adjacent to heat sinks of the thermal heads with their light emission surfaces facing the paper transport path through the glass plates. Cooling fans send air into between the heat sinks and the surface luminous devices, to cool the heat sinks. Thereafter, the air guide guides the air to flow along a gap between the light emission surface and the glass plate, thereby to cool the light emission surface.