Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Rank Xerox Ltd.

Xerox Corporation

Kasei Optonix, Ltd.

Seiji Matsumoto

Hisatoyo Kato

Masamitsu Ishida

Takao Komaki

Junji Miyahara

Satoru Honjo

Noboru Kotera

Kazuo Horikawa

Masanori Teraoka

Isoji Takahashi

Syusaku Eguchi

Masamichi Sato

Kazuyoshi Tanaka

Masakazu Iwasa

Tadahiro Ohmi

Jun-ichi Nishizawa

Hajime Miyatuka

Shusaku Eguchi

Osamu Fukushima

Tomotaka Kozeki

Kozi Shimanuki

Teruo Iida

Hisatoyc Kato

Isoji Takahasi

A radiation image recorded in a stimulable phosphor is read out by stimulating the phosphor with a stimulating ray to have the phosphor emit light and detecting the emitted light with a photodetector. A radiation image information thus obtained is read out by a photodetector by way of a light guide member which collects the light emitted by the phosphor and guides the collected light to a photodetector. The light guide member is made of a transparent sheet having smooth surfaces for effecting total reflection. The light guide member has a linear or arcuate end to be located adjacent to a scan line of the stimulable phosphor to receive and guide the light emitted by the phosphor and an annular end to be located adjacent to the light receiving face of the photodetector. The light entering the light guide member through the flat end is guided to the annular end by repeated total reflection.

Radiation image read out device

A radiation image recording system having a built-in light source for erasing the fog developing in a stimulable phosphor used in a radiation image recording and reproducing method in which a radiation image is once recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet and then read out and reproduced into a visible radiation image. The light source is positioned between a section for feeding the stimulable phosphor sheet and a section where a radiation image is recorded on the sheet. The system is also provided with a unit for sending the stimulable phosphor sheet from the radiation image recording section to a sheet receiver or a radiation image information read out and reproducing system.

Radiation image recording system

A semiconductor image sensor which comprises a plurality of image sensor cells, each having a photosensing and accumulation region of an n.sup.+ -p.sup.- -(i)-p.sup.+ -n.sup.+ (or p.sup.+ -n.sup.- -(i)-n.sup.+ -p.sup.+) hook structure which is formed by sequentially forming its respective regions in a semiconductor substrate inwardly thereof from its surface. The photosensing and accumulation regions are isolated by insulating isolation regions from adjacent ones of them. A tapering conductive region, which acts as an electric field lens on charged carriers, is formed to extend into a high resistivity layer of the photosensing region from the end face of each insulating isolation region on the side of the semiconductor substrate.

Semiconductor image sensor

In a radiation image recording and reproducing method in which a radiation image is once recorded in a stimulable phosphor and then read out and reproduced into a visible image, noise developing in the visible image due to repeated use of the stimulable phosphor is effectively erased by the combined use of first and second erasing steps. The first erasing is conducted to erase the radiation image previously stored in the phosphor, which requires a long period to erase, at an appropriate point of time after the phosphor is once used. The second erasing is carried out quickly to erase the fog, which develops in the phosphor after the first erasing, immediately before the phosphor is to be used for the next radiographic operation.

Noise erasing method in a radiation image recording and reproducing

An apparatus for erasing the fog developing in a stimulable phosphor sheet used for a radiation image recording and reproducing system in which a radiation image is once recorded in the stimulable phosphor sheet and then read out and reproduced on a recording material. The apparatus is arranged so that stimulable phosphor sheets are taken up one at a time out of their reservoir and each is loaded into a cassette used for the recording of a radiation image. It comprises a light source for erasing the fog, which is provided between the aperture of the reservoir from which the stimulable phosphor sheets are taken up and the section at which the sheets are loaded into the cassettes.

Noise erasing apparatus for stimulable phosphor sheet

In radiography, a plurality of radiographic films are used for recording radiographic images of an object viewed from the same direction. For instance, a stack of radiographic films stacked together with intensifying screens is exposed to X-rays passing through an object to record the images on the films simultaneously. Alternatively, the plurality of radiographic films are exposed to X-rays passing through the object one by one with the object held still at a position. The images on the plurality of radiographic films are superposed together by electrical signal processing means to obtain an image having averaged density. Then, the gradient of the gradation of the averaged image is enhanced. The radiographic films may be stacked together with self-supporting intensifying screens to reduce the thickness of the stack of the films and intensifying screens when recording the radiographic images. Further, double-side coated intensifying screens may be used together with the stack of the films to reduce the thickness of the stack of the films and intensifying screens when recording the radiographic images.

Method of processing radiographic image

A method of and apparatus for processing a radiation image in a radiation image recording system in which a stimulable phosphor is stimulated with a scanning stimulating ray and the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon stimulation by the stimulating ray is detected by a detector which gives an output to be processed and used for recording a visible image on a recording material. In the processing of the detected output, an operation represented by a formula

Method of and apparatus for processing a radiation image

In a radiographic image recording system in which a stimulable phosphor plate is exposed to X-rays to record a radiographic latent image therein, the stimulable phosphor plate is exposed to stimulating rays thereafter to emit light according to the stored energy of X-rays, and the emitted light is detected by a photodetector and converted to an image signal to be used for finally recording a visible image on a photosensitive film or the like, a plurality of stimulable phosphor plates are used for recording radiographic images of an object viewed from the same direction. The image signals read out from the plurality of stimulable phosphor plates are superposed to obtain an averaged image signal. The averaged image signal is then subjected to a gradation process for enhancing the contrast of the image.

A method of and apparatus for processing a radiographic image in a radiographic image recording system in which an image on a radiographic film is scanned and read out by a detector which gives an output to be processed and used for recording a visible image on a recording material. In the processing of the detected output, an operation represented by a formula

Method of and apparatus for processing a radiographic image

A method of and apparatus for processing a mammogram in a mammogram copying system in which an original mammogram is scanned with a scanning light beam and the light transmitted through the mammogram is detected by a photodetector which gives an output to be processed and used for recording a visible image on a recording medium. The image gradation of the mammogram is processed. The gradation processing is characterized in that the minimum density of the glandular tissue of the mammogram is lowered down to the level of the fog density to raise the contrast of the mammogram.

Image gradation processing method and apparatus for mammogram copying

In a radiation image recording system in which a stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed to an imagewise radiation to record a latent image of a radiation image in the form of stored energy of radiation, the stimulable phosphor sheet is then exposed to stimulating rays to emit light according to the stored energy of radiation, and the emitted light is detected to obtain an image signal, light spontaneously emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the imagewise radiation is detected. Then, image processing data such as the maximum value, the minimum value and/or the average value of the stored energy level over the entire area of the image are calculated based on the amount of the light, and is recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet or the cassette thereof. The image processing data are used for processing the image signal when recording a final image on a recording material.

Method of and apparatus for recording image processing data in radiation

A method of and apparatus for processing a radiographic image in a radiographic image copying system in which an original radiograph scanned with the light beam and the image information of the radiograph is read out by a detector which gives an output to be processed and used for reproducing an image on a recording material. In the processing of the detected output, an operation represented by a formula

Method and apparatus for processing a radiographic image

A method and apparatus for processing a radiation image in a radiation image recording system in which a stimulable phosphor is stimulated with a scanning stimulating beam and the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon stimulation by the stimulating beam is detected by a detector which generates an output which is processed and used for recording a visible image on a recording material. In the processing of the detected output, an operation represented by a formula

Method and apparatus for processing a radiation image

A method and apparatus for processing a radiation image in a radiation image recording system in which a stimulable phosphor is stimulated with a scanning stimulating ray and the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon stimulation by the stimulating ray is detected by a photodetector which gives an output to be processed and used for recording a visible image on a recording medium. The radiation image of the frontal chest is gradation processed. The gradation processing is characterized in that the density at the boundary of the heart and the lungs of the image on the recording medium is lowered to lower the contrast of the heat and raise the contrast of the lungs.

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Minami-ashigara, Japan

Seiji Matsumoto