JPH0552936B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of the Invention) The present invention involves storing and recording radiation image information on a stimulable phosphor sheet, then irradiating the same with excitation light,
It relates to a radiation image information recording/reading device that detects photostimulated light according to accumulated and recorded image information, reads the image information, and converts it into an electrical signal. The present invention relates to a radiographic image information recording/reading device.

(Technical Background and Prior Art of the Invention) Certain phosphors are exposed to radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays,
When irradiated with γ-rays, ultraviolet rays, electron beams, etc., part of the energy of this radiation is accumulated in the phosphor, and when the phosphor is then irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, the accumulated energy is In response to this, the phosphor exhibits stimulated luminescence. A phosphor exhibiting such properties is called a stimulable phosphor.

Using this stimulable phosphor, radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is temporarily recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet (hereinafter referred to as a stimulable phosphor sheet),
A method has been proposed in which the stimulated light is scanned with excitation light to cause stimulated luminescence, the stimulated luminescent light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal, and this image signal is processed to obtain a radiation image of the subject with good diagnostic suitability. (For example, JP-A No. 55-12429, JP-A No. 56-116340, JP-A No. 55-163472)
No. 56-11395, No. 56-104645, etc.). This final image can be reproduced as a hard copy or
Alternatively, it can be played back on a CRT.
In any case, in such a radiation image information recording and reproducing method, the stimulable phosphor sheet does not ultimately record image information, but temporarily stores the image in order to provide the image to the final recording medium as described above. Since it carries information, the stimulable phosphor sheet may be used repeatedly, and such repeated use is extremely economical.

Also, for example, when a mobile station such as an X-ray imaging vehicle is equipped with a radiation image information recording/reading device that uses a stimulable phosphor sheet and travels to various locations for group examinations to take X-rays. It is inconvenient to load a large number of stimulable phosphor sheets into a vehicle, and there is a limit to the number of sheets that can be loaded onto a moving vehicle. Therefore, a stimulable phosphor sheet is made to be reusable and loaded onto a moving vehicle, radiation image information for each subject is recorded on it, and the image signal obtained by reading it is stored on a magnetic tape or other storage device. If the radiation images are copied onto a large recording medium and the stimulable phosphor sheet or the like is reused, radiographic images of a large number of objects can be taken by a mobile vehicle, which is extremely useful in practice. Furthermore, if continuous imaging is performed through this cyclical reuse, the imaging speed can be increased in mass medical examinations, which has an extremely large practical effect.

In order to reuse the stimulable phosphor sheet as described above, the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet after the stimulated luminescent light has been read can be absorbed by, for example, As shown in No. 56-12599, the remaining radiation image can be erased by irradiating the sheet with light or heat, and the stimulable phosphor sheet can be used again for recording radiation images.

Therefore, the present applicant has proposed a circulating conveyance means for conveying a stimulable phosphor sheet capable of accumulating and recording radiation images along a predetermined circulation path, and a means for irradiating radiation through the sheet through a subject in the circulation path. Thereby, an image recording section that accumulates and records radiographic image information of the subject on this sheet, and an excitation light that emits excitation light that scans the sheet on which radiographic image information is accumulated and recorded in the image recording section, which is located in the circulation path. an image reading section comprising a light source and a photoelectric reading means for reading stimulated luminescence light emitted from a sheet scanned by the excitation light to obtain an image signal; and an image reading section in the circulation passageway. and an erasing section that releases radiation energy remaining on the sheet prior to image recording on the sheet after image recording, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is circulated between the respective sections. We previously proposed a radiographic image information recording/reading device that can be used repeatedly (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 192240/1983). According to the radiographic image information recording/reading device having such a structure, radiographic image information can be recorded and read continuously and efficiently.

However, the radiation image information recording/reading apparatus described above has a drawback in that the apparatus tends to be large-sized because a circulation path for the stimulable phosphor sheet is provided within the apparatus.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a radiation image information recording/reading device that can repeatedly use a stimulable phosphor sheet and can be formed into an extremely small size. The purpose is to provide

(Structure of the Invention) The radiation image information recording/reading device of the present invention is provided with an opening through which a light-shielding cover (described later) passes through one end of the device housing that houses the stimulable phosphor sheet as described above; A light-shielding cover is provided inside the body that can fly out of the housing through the opening, and has a sheet passage opening at the end of the side that is held in the housing when ejected, and the image recording unit can pop out from the housing. The stimulable phosphor sheet is configured to irradiate radiation having image information onto a sheet placed at an exposure position within the light-shielding cover, and to excite the stimulable phosphor sheet after the radiation image information has been accumulated and recorded in the image recording section. An image reading unit that irradiates light and reads the stimulated luminescent light emitted from the sheet using a photoelectric reading means to obtain an image signal, places the stimulable phosphor sheet at the exposure position and the sheet passage opening. scanning using a sub-scanning means for moving excitation light to and from a position where the stimulable phosphor sheet enters the casing, and a main scanning means for main-scanning the excitation light onto the stimulable phosphor sheet at a position close to the opening in the casing. It is characterized in that it is formed so as to be read, and the image (afterimage) is erased by the above-mentioned erasing section.

(Function) When reading radiation image information from a stimulable phosphor sheet in an image reading section having a sub-scanning means and a main scanning means as described above, this sheet is inserted into the casing from the light shielding cover protruding from the casing. When reading an image after entering or returning to the housing, the light shielding cover protrudes from within the housing. In other words, the sheet movement space for sub-scanning is secured by protruding the light-shielding cover outside the housing, so the housing itself must be large enough to accommodate the light-shielding cover and the stimulable phosphor sheet when the device is not in use. The size can be reduced to a size that can accommodate at least one of the above-mentioned sheets.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a radiation image information recording and reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As an example, the device of this embodiment can be used on a wall 1 of a hospital examination room, etc.
The main body 20 is housed within the wall 10, and the radiation source housing 30 is housed within the wall 10. A casing 25 constituting the main body 20 includes a light shielding cover 26 that can protrude from the casing 25.
is stored. This light-shielding cover 26 is stored in the housing 25, that is, inside the wall surface 10 when the device is not in use, and the radiation source storage section 30 is also stored in the recess 12 in the wall surface 10 when the device is not in use, and when in use, each of them has a handle, for example. Grab 21 and 31 and go to wall 10
being pulled outside.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the main body 20 in detail, and FIG. 3 shows the side shapes of the main body 20 and the radiation source storage section 30. As shown in the figure, inside the casing 25 of the main body 20, a plate-shaped support 2 is provided.
A stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is disposed on which a stimulable phosphor layer 22B as described above is formed. In this sheet 22, the support 22
B is formed to be larger than the phosphor layer 22B, and the portion around the phosphor layer of the support 22A is formed as the holding portions 22a, 2.
2b, 22c, and 22d. In addition, in the device of this embodiment, the sheet 22 has a phosphor layer 2.
2B is placed below the support 22A. The seat 22 has holding parts 22b and 22d slidably supported by the rail 23, so that
It is held within the casing 25. The vertical and horizontal dimensions of the casing 25 are slightly larger than the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wall surface 10 of the housing 25
An opening 25a is provided at the side end of the housing 25.
The light shielding cover 26 housed inside the opening 25
It is possible to jump out of the casing 25 through a. In this embodiment, the light shielding cover 26 is manually popped out from the housing 25 by grasping the handle 21.
may be moved by a drive device and protrude out of the casing 25. A sheet passage opening 26a is provided at one end of the light-shielding cover 26, that is, at the end on the side that is held by the housing 25 when the light-shielding cover 26 is protruded from the housing 25. Therefore, the inside of the light-shielding cover 26 communicates with the inside of the housing 25 via this sheet passage opening 26a. Note that the light shielding cover 26 is
5, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22
is located inside this light-shielding cover 26.

The upper surface of the light-shielding cover 26, that is, the surface facing the sheet 22 from above when the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is housed in the light-shielding cover 26, serves as a photographing stand 32. The aforementioned radiation source storage section 3
0 houses a radiation source 33 such as an X-ray tube inside, and when in use with the radiation source housing 30 and the light shielding cover 26 pulled out from the wall surface 10, the radiation source 33 is placed on the imaging table 32. facing each other (see Figure 3). The parts of the casing 25 and the light-shielding cover 26 other than the imaging stand 32 are lined with a radiation absorbing material such as a lead plate, so that environmental radiation other than imaging radiation can prevent the stimulable phosphor sheet from being absorbed. 22 is designed to prevent fogging.

During radiography of a subject (subject) 34, the subject 34 is exposed to the light-shielding cover 2 protruding from the wall surface 10.
The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is placed, for example, on its back on the photographing table 32 of No.
8, and is set at the exposure position facing the photographing table 32 (the state shown in FIG. 3).
In this state, the radiation source 33 is activated. As a result, the radiation 35 that has passed through the subject 34 is irradiated onto the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 (more specifically, the stimulable phosphor layer 22B formed on the lower surface side of this sheet 22). Radiation image information of the subject 34 is accumulated and recorded. Note that the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 in the light-shielding cover 26 is attached to the housing 25.
It is supported by a rail 27 that is substantially aligned with the rail 23 of. As is clear from the above description, in the apparatus of this embodiment, the image recording unit 40 is composed of the imaging table 32 and the radiation source 33.
In the apparatus of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the legs of the subject 34 are supported by a support stand 15 which can also be housed within the wall surface 10.

An image reading section 50 is provided in the lower part of the housing 25 . The image reading unit 50 includes a laser light source 51, a mirror 53 that reflects the laser light 52 as excitation light emitted from the laser light source 51, a beam expander 54 that sets the beam diameter of the laser light 52 to a predetermined value, and a laser A cylindrical lens 55 that causes the light 52 to be incident on the mirror surface of an optical deflector 56 (described later) so as to form a line image in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the optical deflector 56, a rotating polygon mirror that reflects and deflects the laser beam 52, etc. A light deflector 56, a long mirror 57 that reflects the deflected laser beam 52 and scans it one-dimensionally on the sheet 22 (more specifically, on the stimulable phosphor layer 22B), and a stimulable phosphor sheet. A drive roller 58 as a sub-scanning means, which consists of a pair of nip rollers sandwiching 22 and rotates at a constant speed;
A long photomultiplier (photomultiplier) as a photoelectric reading means is arranged so that the light receiving surface extends along the scanning line (main scanning line) on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 by the laser light 52. ) 59, and an elongated light-condensing reflecting mirror 60 disposed along the elongated photomultiplier tube 59. Further, between the optical deflector 56 and the mirror 57, an f/θ lens 6 is provided.
1 and a cylindrical lens 62, whereby the laser beam 52 is directed to the stimulable phosphor sheet 22.
The beam is focused to a constant diameter at any position above.

After the radiation image information of the subject 34 has been accumulated and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 as described above, the sheet 2 is rotated by the drive roller 58.
2 is moved at a constant speed from inside the light shielding cover 26 to the housing 25 side (the state shown in FIG. 4). Note that when radiation image information is recorded, the drive roller 58
is a holding portion 22a at one end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22;
Therefore, when the drive roller 58 is rotated after image recording, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22
can be immediately transported as described above. sheet 22
As the sheet 22 is conveyed, the laser light source 51 and the optical deflector 56 are activated, and the laser beam 52 scans the sheet 22. This stimulable phosphor sheet 22
Stimulated luminescence light 63 carrying radiation image information stored and recorded on the sheet 22 is emitted from the portion irradiated with the laser beam 52 . This stimulated luminescence light 63 is transmitted directly or to a condensing reflective mirror 63.
The photoelectrons are efficiently reflected at the long photomultiplier tube 5.
9. As described above, the main scanning of the laser beam 52 is performed, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is moved as described above to perform sub-scanning. The exhaust light 63 (ie, radiation image information) is read. The read image signal output from the long photomultiplier tube 59 is amplified, digitized, and subjected to image processing in the read circuit 64, and then sent to an image reproducing device (not shown) to reproduce the radiation image information. It is offered to This playback device may be a display means such as a CRT, or
It may be a recording device that performs optical scanning recording on a photosensitive film, or it may be replaced with a device that temporarily stores image signals in an image file such as an optical disk or a magnetic disk. In addition, the above image signal is sent via radio waves to a remote location where medical staff and equipment are available, and the radiation image is reproduced there.
It may also be made available for diagnosis.

In this apparatus, when the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is moved by the drive roller 58 for sub-scanning, the sheet 22 passes through the sheet passage opening 26a as shown in FIG. Light shielding cover 26
Enter the casing 25 from inside. and laser beam 5
2 scans the sheet 22 at a position close to the opening 25a of the housing 25, and when the image reading is completed, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is scanned.
is located inside the housing 25. Therefore, the housing 25 does not need to secure a space for the sub-scanning of the sheet 22, and need only be formed to have a size slightly larger than the sheet 22, as described above.

When image reading is completed as described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is moved to its holding portion 22c.
is held between the drive rollers 58 and supported by the rails 23. An erasing section 70 is provided below the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 in this state. The erasing section 70 includes, for example, a planar erasing light source 71 that faces the sheet 22 from below. This erasing light source 71 is for example
LED panel, EL (electroluminescence)
It mainly emits light in the excitation wavelength range of the stimulable phosphor of the sheet 22, and the sheet 2
It lights up when image reading from 2 is completed. The radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 after image reading is released from the sheet 22 by irradiating the sheet 22 (specifically, the stimulable phosphor layer 22B) with the above light. be done.

In this way, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 whose image (afterimage) has been erased to the extent that radiation image information can be recorded again is stored in the housing 25. It becomes possible to repeat image recording (photography) and reading of images. As the erasing light source 71, in addition to the above-mentioned planar light source such as the LED panel, for example,
A tungsten lamp, a halogen lamp, an infrared lamp, a xenon flash lamp, a fluorescent lamp, etc. as shown in the above may be arbitrarily selected and used. When using such lamps as an erasing light source, in order to irradiate the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 stopped within the housing 25 with erasing light, it is sufficient to arrange a large number of lamps side by side, or use a rod-shaped A light source is installed in parallel near the drive roller 58, and before the next recording of radiographic image information, erasing light is irradiated onto the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 conveyed from inside the housing 25 into the light-shielding cover 26 to eliminate an afterimage. It is also possible to perform erasure. If the afterimage is to be erased during conveyance of the sheet 22 in this manner, if the support 22A of the sheet 22 is made of a transparent material, the afterimage can be erased from the upper side of the sheet 22 through the support 22A to the phosphor layer 22B. It can also be irradiated with light.

Further, if the support body 22A is made of a transparent member as described above, the planar erasing light source 71 can be attached to the sheet 22 as in the second embodiment shown in FIG.
It can also be installed on the opposite side of the image reading unit 50 across the image reading unit 50 . In addition, in this FIG.
~4 Elements that are equivalent to those in Figures are given the same numbers,
Explanations about them will be omitted (the same applies hereafter).

Furthermore, the erasing light source 71 is provided within the housing 25, and
As in the third embodiment device shown in FIG.
It may be placed inside the light shielding cover 26.

Note that if the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 has been stored in the housing 25 without being used for a long time after the image (afterimage) has been erased in the erasing section 70, the phosphor sheet 22 may be Radioactive elements such as ^(n-1) Ra contained as impurities in the light body and radiation energy from environmental radiation (a component that becomes noise to stored recorded information) may accumulate, but immediately before image recording, By irradiating the sheet 22 with erasing light from the erasing light source 71, this radiation energy is also released (so-called secondary erasing).
Also, when the above-mentioned planar light source is used as an erasing light source, the stimulable phosphor sheet 2
The image (afterimage) may not be erased immediately when the image is returned to the housing 25, but may be erased immediately before recording the next radiation image information. In this case, the afterimage erasure and the secondary erasure can be performed at the same time. Further, in this case, since the radiation energy as an afterimage component remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 can be naturally released to some extent by so-called fading, the amount of erasing light for erasing the afterimage can be reduced. This effect can also be obtained.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image is read from the side opposite to the radiation exposure side of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, but for example, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. , the laser beam 52 is irradiated onto the sheet 22 from the radiation exposure side, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is placed so that its phosphor layer is located on the radiation exposure side, thereby allowing radiation exposure to occur. It is also possible to read the image from the same side. Further, after recording the image, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is once returned to the housing 25 at high speed, and then the sheet 22 is transferred from inside the housing 25 to the light shielding cover 26, and the image is read at that time. It's okay. In this case, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 before image reading is
Since the sheet 22 is quickly exited from the position facing the sheet 22, it is possible to prevent the sheet 22 from fogging due to environmental radiation or the like.

By the way, in order to eliminate the influence of fluctuations in imaging conditions or to obtain radiographic images that are suitable for observation and interpretation, it is necessary to change the recording state of the radiographic image information accumulated and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, or the chest, abdomen, etc. Recording patterns (hereinafter collectively referred to as "accumulated record information") determined by the part of the subject 34 and the imaging method such as plain radiography or contrast radiography are output as visible images for observation and interpretation. It is necessary to determine the reading conditions such as the reading gain and recording scale factor in the reading circuit 64 or the image processing conditions based on the accumulated recorded information that has been understood in advance. A method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 67240/1983 is known as a method of grasping the accumulated record information of a radiographic image prior to outputting a visible image. This method involves a reading operation (hereinafter referred to as
It's called "book reading." ), using excitation light of a lower level than the excitation light that should be irradiated during the above-mentioned main reading, in order to grasp the accumulated record information of the radiation image that has been accumulated and recorded in the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 in advance. A reading operation (hereinafter referred to as "pre-reading") is performed to grasp the outline of the radiological image accumulation record, and when performing the actual reading, the reading conditions such as the reading gain and recording scale factor or the image are determined based on this pre-reading information. This is to optimally determine the processing conditions. Also in the first to fourth embodiment devices described above, the above-mentioned "pre-reading" and "main reading" can be easily performed. That is, first, "pre-reading" is performed while feeding the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 from inside the light-shielding cover 26 into the housing 25, and then the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is temporarily returned to the inside of the light-shielding cover 26 (at this time, (the erasing light source 71 is not turned on), then the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is turned on again.
``Book reading'' may be performed while sending the light from inside the light-shielding cover 26 into the housing 25. In addition, as described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is not returned to the light-shielding cover 26 once, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is inserted into the light-shielding cover 26 from inside the housing 25 after "pre-reading" is completed.
may be transferred, and "book reading" may be performed at that time.

Further, in each of the embodiments described above, the erasing light source 71 is installed inside the housing 25 or the light shielding cover 26, but indoor illumination light can also be used as the erasing light source. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show fifth, sixth and seventh embodiment devices of the invention so constructed.

In the device of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the upper surface of the light-shielding cover 26 is open, and a light-shielding curtain 75
are arranged. This light-shielding curtain 75 is adapted to be rolled up by a winding machine 76 inside the housing 25, and is rolled up before radiographic image information is recorded, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 inside the light-shielding cover 26 is rolled up.
expose. Sheet 22 thus exposed
can undergo afterimage erasure or secondary erasure using the above-mentioned room illumination light. The light shielding curtain 75 is set to cover the upper surface of the light shielding cover 26 so that the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is not irradiated with external light after erasing.

In the sixth embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the upper surface of the light-shielding cover 26, that is, the photographing table 32, is formed from a transparent member, and the light-shielding curtain 75 is disposed between the photographing table 32 and the sheet 22. In this device, the light shielding curtain 75 is rolled up by a winding machine 76,
It is said to be freely removable. In this apparatus, unlike the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, the subject can be placed on the photographing table 32.

In the seventh embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10, the upper surface of the light-shielding cover 26, which serves as the photographing table 32, is removable. In this device, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 inside the light shielding cover 26 is exposed by removing the photographing table 32. The sheet 22 thus exposed can be subjected to the afterimage erasure or the secondary erasure by indoor illumination light, as in the case described above. When using indoor light as an erasing light source as described above, it is possible to erase using only indoor light, but since erasing takes a long time, a small-scale erasing light source is installed inside the device, and If erasing is performed in conjunction with light, erasing can be done in a short time.

The elongated photomultiplier tube 59 described above is explained in detail in, for example, the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 156255/1983 filed by the present applicant, but here, a brief description will be given with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Explain. 1st
The photomultiplier tube 59 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B has an electrode structure generally called a box shape. This photomultiplier tube 59 has a photocathode (photocathode) 153 that emits photoelectrons facing a long light-receiving surface 152 in a main body 151 made of glass or the like and having a vacuum inside. A multiplication unit 16 in which a plurality of (in this example, 13) quarter-cylindrical electrodes (dynodes) having a secondary electron emission effect (dynodes) 154 to 166 are combined below a photocathode 153.
7 is arranged. The shield electrode 16 is located opposite to the dynode 166 at the lowermost end of the multiplier 167.
Further, an anode 169 is disposed within the shield electrode 168 to collect the electron flow multiplied by the multiplier 167 and take it out as a signal. Each of these electrodes is connected to the light receiving surface 1.
It is electrically connected to each terminal 172 of the terminal group 170 provided on the opposite side to 52 in a one-to-one correspondence. Note that the dynodes 154 to 165 and the shield electrode 168 are fixedly held within the main body 151 by a support member 171 formed of an insulator.

FIG. 18 shows an electric circuit 180 for driving the photomultiplier tube 59 and extracting a photoelectric output. In FIG. 18, each part of the photomultiplier tube 59 is given the same reference numeral as in FIG. 17.
A negative high voltage is applied to the photocathode 153 via a negative high voltage application terminal 181. Further, the negative high voltage applied to the negative high voltage application terminal 181 is divided by the bleeder resistor group 182, and the dynode 15
4,166, respectively. Further, the shield electrode 168 is grounded, and the anode 169
is grounded via a resistor 183 and the amplifier 1
84 is input to one terminal. amplifier 18
The other terminal of 4 is grounded, and the output terminal 18
5, the photoelectrically converted image information is extracted as an electrical signal. The elongated photomultiplier tube 59 is not limited to the one having the box-shaped electrode structure described above, and may also be of the Venetian blind type, as shown in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 60-156255 mentioned above. An electrode having an electrode structure such as that shown in FIG.

The photoelectric reading means used in the present invention is not particularly limited to this elongated photomultiplier tube 59, but is, for example, a photodetector having a relatively small light-receiving surface, as shown in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-192240. A structure in which the light source and the light condenser are optically coupled may also be used. However, the long photomultiplier tube 59 mentioned above
The problems include an increase in the size of the device due to the use of a large condenser, a decrease in photodetection efficiency due to the leakage of stimulated luminescence from the condenser, and a condenser with a complicated shape. This is particularly suitable because the increase in cost of the device due to the formation can be eliminated all at once. In addition, when such a long photomultiplier tube 59 is used, in addition to being used in combination with the above-mentioned condensing reflecting mirror 60, it may also be used in combination with the above-mentioned condensing reflecting mirror 60, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 156257/1989 filed by the present applicant. It is also possible to improve the light collection efficiency by combining it with an integrating tube, or by combining the above-mentioned integrating tube with a reflective optical element, as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-156258, also filed by the present applicant. .

As explained above, the device of the present invention is configured such that the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is transferred between the housing 25 and the light-shielding cover 26 during image reading. Although it can be made compact to the extent that it is slightly larger (length and width dimensions) than the light sheet 22, when the housing 25 is miniaturized in this way, the optical path length of the laser beam 52 deflected within the housing 25 is It may happen that you don't get enough.
In such a case, between the cylindrical lens 62 and the mirror 57, for example, the 11th and 12th
A pair of mirrors 8 whose plan and side shapes are shown in the figure.
0 and 81, and the laser beam 52 is repeatedly reflected between these mirrors 80 and 81, so that the optical path length can be set to be sufficiently long. Also, a plurality of mirrors 8 as shown in FIG.
5, 86, 87, 88, and 89 may be provided to obtain the above optical path length.

Further, in the radiation image information recording/reading apparatus of the present invention, as in the eighth embodiment shown in FIG. Of course, it is also possible to form the casing 25 so as to record a horizontal image, or, as in the ninth embodiment shown in FIG. Light-shielding cover 26 that pops out from 25
is placed below the bed 91, and the bed 91
Alternatively, as in the tenth embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the housing 25 is supported vertically by a stand 90 to record an image of the subject in a standing position. It can also be formed like this.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above in detail, the radiation image information recording/reading device of the present invention uses exciting light to illuminate the stimulable phosphor sheet between the housing and the light shielding cover protruding from the housing during image reading. Since the stimulable phosphor sheet is transported for sub-scanning, there is no need to provide a space for transporting the stimulable phosphor sheet for sub-scanning of the excitation light within this housing, and the device can be made extremely compact. . Therefore, the device of the present invention can be easily loaded onto moving vehicles, ships, etc. where it is difficult to secure a large space for loading medical diagnostic equipment, and it is possible to carry out radiography in places where radiography was previously impossible. It has an extremely valuable effect in terms of medical diagnosis.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a radiographic image information recording/reading device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing main parts of the device according to the above embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are, respectively, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are side sectional views showing the state of the above embodiment apparatus during image recording and image reading, respectively. and a side sectional view showing a part of the seventh embodiment device, FIGS. 11 and 1.
2 are a plan view and a side view showing an example of an excitation light reflection optical system that can be used in the apparatus of the present invention, and 1.
3 is a side view showing another example of the excitation light reflecting optical system that can be used in the device of the present invention, Nos. 14, 15, and 1.
6 is a perspective view showing devices according to the eighth, ninth and tenth embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 17A is a perspective view showing a long photomultiplier tube used in the device of the present invention, and FIG. 17B is a perspective view thereof. A line sectional view and FIG. 18 are circuit diagrams showing a drive circuit for the photomultiplier tube. 20...Main body, 22...Stormative phosphor sheet,
25... Housing, 25a... Opening of the housing, 26...
Light-shielding cover, 26a... Sheet passage port of light-shielding cover, 30... Radiation source storage section, 32... Imaging table,
33... Radiation source, 34... Subject, 35... Radiation, 40... Image recording unit, 50... Image reading unit, 51... Laser light source, 52... Laser light, 5
3,57,60,80,81,85,86,8
7, 88, 89...mirror, 55, 61, 62...
... Lens, 56 ... Optical deflector, 58 ... Drive roller, 59 ... Photomultiplier tube, 63 ... Stimulated luminescence light, 64 ... Read circuit, 70 ... Eraser section, 71 ...
...Erase light source.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A housing containing a stimulable phosphor sheet capable of storing and recording radiation image information and having an opening at one end; a light-shielding cover that is housed so as to be able to pop out and is provided with a sheet passage opening at the end of the side that is held by the casing when ejected; and a sheet disposed at an exposure position within the light-shielding cover that pops out from the casing. an image recording unit that accumulates and records the radiation image information on the sheet by irradiating the sheet with radiation having the image information; a sub-scanning means for moving the excitation light to and from a position in the casing, and a main scanning means for main-scanning excitation light on the sheet at a position close to the opening in the housing, an image reading section that irradiates the sheet with excitation light and reads stimulated luminescence light emitted from the sheet by the irradiation of the excitation light with a photoelectric reading means to obtain an image signal; A radiation image information recording/reading device comprising an erasing section that releases radiation energy remaining on a subsequent sheet before an image is recorded on this sheet. 2. Using a stimulable phosphor sheet with a stimulable phosphor layer formed on a support, the sheet is arranged in the light-shielding cover so that radiation is irradiated from the support side, 2. The radiation image information recording/reading device according to claim 1, wherein the image reading unit is configured to irradiate the sheet with excitation light from the phosphor layer side.