JPS63259648A - Radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify constitution and to reduce the size over the entire part of a device by sub-scanning and conveying a recording sheet in one surface part of a recording body at the time of reproduction. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with the recording body 16 which is formed with an accumulation type fluorescent material layer on an endless base 30, a recording part 12 which projects the radiations having image information to the body 16 and accumulates and records the radiation image information on the recording body, a reading part 18 which projects a deflected light beam into the recording body accumulated and recorded with the image information in the main scanning direction and photoelectrically reads the image information, an erasing part 20 which projects erasing light to the body 16 subjected to reading of the image information in the reading part 18 and erases the after-image information, and a reproducing part 24 which deflects and projects the light beam modulated in accordance with the radiation image information or the other radiation image to the recording sheet F in the main scanning direction to reproduced and record the image. The device is so constituted that the sheet F is sub-scanned and conveyed in the direction approximately orthogonal with the main scanning direction by means of the recording body 16 under circulative displacement. The conveying system is thereby simplified and the size over the entire part of the device is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a radiographic image information recording/reading/reproducing device, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing device, and more specifically, a recording medium in which a stimulable phosphor layer is formed on an endless support is stored in the device. The radiographic image is stored and recorded by circulating the recording material, and the stored radiation image is photoelectrically read by irradiation with excitation light, and one surface of the circulating recording material is used to transport the recording sheet in the sub-scanning direction. A radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing device configured to irradiate the recording sheet with a light beam modulated based on the read image information or other image information in the main scanning direction and reproduce it as a visible image. Regarding equipment.

[Background of the Invention] Recently, a radiation image recording and reproducing system that obtains a radiation image of a subject using a stimulable phosphor (stimulable phosphor) has been attracting attention. Here, stimulable phosphor refers to radiation (X-rays, α
When irradiated with rays, β rays, γ rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc., a part of this radiation energy is accumulated, and when excitation light such as visible light is irradiated later, fluorescence emits stimulated light according to the accumulated energy. Refers to the body.

The above-mentioned radiation image recording and recirculation system utilizes this stimulable phosphor, and the radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is stored on a sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor (hereinafter referred to as a ``stimulable phosphor sheet''). This stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to generate stimulated luminescent light, and the stimulated luminescent light is read photoelectrically to generate an electrical signal. Based on this electrical signal, the radiation image of the subject is output as a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material or to a display device such as a CRT.

Therefore, in such a radiation image recording and reproducing system, the following method is specifically adopted to read the radiation image from the stimulable phosphor sheet on which the radiation image is stored and recorded.

In other words, in an image reading device, a stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned two-dimensionally with a light beam such as a laser beam, and the stimulated luminescence light emitted thereby is chronologically scanned by a photodetector such as a photomultiplier. Detect and obtain image information. The two-dimensional scanning of the light beam is usually carried out by deflecting and irradiating the light beam onto the stimulable phosphor sheet in a -dimensional manner to perform main scanning. This is accomplished by mechanically conveying the image using a belt conveyor or the like in the direction of the image, thereby performing sub-scanning.

Next, the image information obtained as described above is sent to an image reproduction device. The image reproducing device is configured to irradiate a recording sheet such as a photographic light-sensitive material with laser light modulated based on the image information obtained from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and reproduce a predetermined image on the recording sheet. has been done.

By the way, in such a radiation image recording and reproducing system, the stimulable phosphor sheet does not ultimately record image information (as mentioned above, it is temporarily exposed to radiation in order to give image information to the recording sheet and reproduce it). It only holds image information.Therefore, the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet after the radiation image information has been read by irradiation with excitation light can be absorbed by, for example,
No. 11392 and No. 56-12599, the stimulable phosphor sheet may be emitted to erase the afterimage radiation image, and the stimulable phosphor sheet may be used again for recording radiation images. As a result, in the image reading device described above,
The stimulable phosphor sheet can be circulated within the device and used repeatedly, providing the advantage of being extremely economical.

Therefore, the present applicant has fixed a stimulable phosphor layer to a support, for example, an endless belt to form an endless recording body, and circulates the recording body within an apparatus to accumulate a radiation image on this recording body through a subject. recording, further irradiating excitation light to a recording medium on which the radiation image has been accumulated and recorded and photoelectrically reading the image information, and then erasing the radiation image information remaining on the recording medium by irradiating erasing light; has proposed a radiographic image information recording/reading device configured to repeatedly record radiographic images of a predetermined subject (Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-2
No. 00269).

In this way, by using an endless recording medium in which a stimulable phosphor layer is fixed to a support made of an endless belt, the stimulable phosphor layer is fixed to a support made of an endless belt. Inconveniences such as sheet objects clogging the conveyance system can be avoided, and the configuration of the conveyance system can be further simplified, and the overall size of the apparatus can be easily miniaturized.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to utilize this type of endless recording medium for multiple purposes, and includes a recording section that stores and records radiation image information of a subject on the recording medium, and a recording section that stores the image information. A reading unit that irradiates excitation light onto a recorded recording medium and photoelectrically reads image information; and a reading unit that irradiates a recording sheet such as a photographic material with a light beam modulated based on predetermined image information and reads image information on the recording sheet. In particular, by providing a reproducing section for reproducing a visible image on the recording body and configuring the recording sheet to be conveyed in the sub-scanning direction using one surface of the recording body, the conveyance system for the recording sheet can be made into a cylinder at once. It is an object of the present invention to provide a radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing device that can be easily miniaturized as a whole and manufactured economically.

[Means for Achieving the Object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a recording medium in which a stimulable phosphor layer is formed on an endless support, and a recording medium in which image information is transmitted to the cyclically displacing recording medium. a recording unit that accumulates and records radiation image information on a recording body by irradiating radiation that
a reading unit that photoelectrically reads the image information by irradiating a deflected light beam in the main scanning direction onto a recording medium on which the image information has been stored and recorded; and a reading unit that erases the image information read by the reading unit on the recording medium. an erasing section that irradiates light to erase afterimage image information; and a light beam modulated based on the radiation image information or other radiation image information that is deflected in the main scanning direction and irradiates the recording sheet to reproduce and record an image. and a reproduction section, and the recording sheet is configured to be conveyed in a sub-scanning direction in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction via the cyclically displacing recording body.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral IO indicates a radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. In this case, the device 1
0 is a recording unit 12 for radiographic imaging provided on the upper side in the figure, an endless recording body 16 disposed in a chamber 14 and displaceable in circulation, and a recording unit 16 disposed inside the recording body 16. a reading unit 18 that photoelectrically reads radiation image information;
an erasing section 20 located inside the recording body 16 for erasing the afterimage radiation image; and a supply section 22 located outside the recording body 16 for loading a recording sheet, for example, an unexposed film F. and a reproducing section 24 for reproducing a predetermined image on the film F conveyed in the sub-scanning direction via the recording medium 6.

Next, the configuration of the device 10 will be described in detail below.

That is, in the chamber 14, X-ray shield plates 26a and 26b are disposed at positions corresponding to the recording section 2, and the shield plates 26a are provided with radiation such as X-rays that carry image information on the recording material. An opening 28 is defined for illuminating 16.

The recording body 16 has a support body 30 made of an endless belt.
The support 30 is made of a material that transmits radiation and blocks light beams. And this support 30
A recording medium 16 is formed by fixing a stimulable phosphor layer 32 to the inner peripheral surface of the recording medium 16.

The recording body 16 is driven by a drive roller 34 disposed within the chamber 14.
Its four corners are stretched by driven rollers 36a to 36c. In this case, the recording body 16 is cyclically displaced in the direction of the arrow under the action of a rotary drive source (not shown) that engages with the drive roller 34, and its upper end portion is connected to each shield plate 2.
6a and 26b, and a pair of two-up rollers 38a and 38b are in sliding contact with the lower ends thereof. Further, transport drive rollers 40a and 40b are in sliding contact with both surfaces of the recording medium 16 at a predetermined distance from the nip rollers 38a and 38b, and the drive rollers 40a and 40b are operated by a rotary drive source (not shown). It is rotated in synchronization with the bottom.

Therefore, the reading section 18 is disposed above the nip roller 38a and the drive roller 40a. The reading unit 18 includes a laser light source 42, and on the laser light output side of the laser light source 42 are a polygon mirror 46 that rotates to reflect and deflect the laser light 44, a scanning lens 48 such as an fθ lens, and a condensing reflective mirror 50. is provided. Furthermore, the laser beam 44
A light guide 52 is disposed along the main scanning line at a scanning position on the sheet A, and a photomultiplier 54 is mounted above the light guide 52.

On the other hand, an erasing section 20 is provided between the driving roller 34 and the driven roller 36a, and a plurality of erasing light sources 58 are arranged inside the erasing section 20.

Furthermore, a supply section 22 is provided in the chamber 14 outside the recording medium 16, and a supply magazine 60 is removably loaded into this supply section 22. A plurality of unexposed films F are stored in the supply magazine 60, and the films F are taken out one by one from the supply magazine 60 under the driving action of a sheet-fed mechanism including a swingable suction cup 62. It will be done. An endless first conveyance belt 64 is disposed near the suction cup 62, and this first conveyance belt 64 extends in the horizontal direction, and its end portion is connected to the support 30 constituting the recording medium 16. It is in sliding contact with the

Further, an endless second conveyance belt 66 is disposed near the drive roller 40b, and this second conveyance belt 66 slides on the support body 30 in the same manner as the first conveyance belt 64. In addition, the second ig! The conveying belt 66 conveys the film F to an automatic developing device (not shown) through an outlet 68 provided in one wall of the device 10.

Next, a reproducing section 24 is provided below the nip roller 38b and the drive roller 40b. In this case, the reproducing section 24 is configured almost the same as the reading section 18, and substantially includes a laser light source 70 and an optical modulator 74 that modulates the laser light 72 derived from the laser light f17o. a polygon mirror 76 that deflects the modulated laser beam 72;
and a scanning lens 78 that scans the film F with this laser beam 72.

The radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus according to this embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

First, the recording medium 1 is stretched by rotating the driving roller 34 in the direction of the arrow under the driving action of a rotational drive source (not shown).
6 is cyclically displaced in the direction of the arrow.

Therefore, when the recording unit 12 irradiates a subject (not shown) with radiation such as X-rays, the X-rays carrying the image information of the subject are emitted from the opening 28 of the shield plate 26a onto the recording body 16.
The stimulable phosphor layer 32 is irradiated with radiation, and a radiation image is accumulated and recorded on the recording medium 16.

Furthermore, when the recording body 16 is cyclically displaced in the direction of the arrow under the driving action of the drive roller 34 and the portion where the radiation image is accumulated and recorded reaches the lower part of the reading section 18, the laser light source 42 constituting the reading section 18 is driven. For this reason, a laser beam 44 is derived from the laser light source 42, reflected and deflected by a rotating polygon mirror 46, and then irradiated onto the recording medium 16 in the main scanning direction via a scanning lens 48. . As a result, the stimulated luminescence light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer 32 of the recording medium 16 is made to enter the light guide 52 either directly or by being reflected by the reflection mirror 50, and is converted into an electrical signal by the photomultiplier 54. Convert. At this time, the drive rollers 40a and 40b are rotationally driven in synchronization, and the recording medium 16 is held between the drive rollers 40a and 40b and the nip rollers 38a and 38b, and is accurately conveyed in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow B). ,
This recording medium 16 will be two-dimensionally scanned by the laser beam 44.

Next, the recording body 16 on which the radiation image reading operation has been completed
reaches the erasing section 20 disposed between the driving roller 34 and the driven roller 36a. In the erasing section 20, a plurality of erasing light sources 5B are turned on, and the radiation image remaining on the stimulable phosphor N32 is erased.

In this case, in the recording unit 12, radiographic images of a subject (not shown) are sequentially photographed, and therefore, the stimulable phosphor layer 32 of the recording body 16 is recorded continuously or at predetermined intervals. The radiation image information of the subject is stored and recorded, and the image information is sequentially and electrically read by the reading section 18. In this way, the reading section 1
A visible image is formed on the film F based on the image signal read by 8 or based on the image signal read by another reading device.

That is, as described above, the supply magazine 60 containing a plurality of unexposed films F is loaded in the supply section 22, and the films F are moved under the driving action of the sheet-fed mechanism including the suction cup 62. It is taken out from the supply magazine 60 and sent out to the first conveyor belt 64 side. The film F is sandwiched between the second conveyor belt 66 and the recording body 16, and sent out to the nip roller 38b side, and is further conveyed to the nip roller 38b, the drive roller 40b, and the recording body 16.
is conveyed at a predetermined speed in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow 1) through the laser beam source 70, and the laser light source 70 forming the reproducing section 24 is driven.

Therefore, a laser beam 72 is emitted from the laser light source 70, and after being modulated by an optical modulator 74, it is reflected and deflected by a polygon mirror 76. Furthermore, the deflected laser beam 72 is irradiated in the main scanning direction onto the film F that is being carried in the sub-scanning direction via the scanning lens 78. As a result, the image is reproduced on the entire surface of the subject on the film F.

Further, the film F, which has passed through the reproducing section 24 and has been reproduced with a predetermined image, is sent out from an outlet 68 via a second conveyor belt 66 and a recording medium 16 to an automatic developing device (not shown), where it is subjected to a predetermined development process. will be applied.

In this case, in this embodiment, the endless recording body 16 provided with the stimulable phosphor layer 32 is cyclically displaced within the apparatus 10 to accumulate and record radiation image information in the recording section 12 and the radiation 11A@ by the reading section 1B. While reading the image information repeatedly, one surface of the recording body 16 is used to transport the unexposed film F in the sub-scanning direction. In this way, in order to two-dimensionally scan and reproduce the unexposed film F, the unexposed film F is moved in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow B).
There is no need to provide a special conveyance system to convey the material.

Therefore, the structure is simplified, the radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing device 10 can be made as small as possible, and the device 10 can be manufactured economically.

Furthermore, the apparatus 10 is provided with a reading section 18 and a reproducing section 24, and the scanning and reading operation on the stimulable phosphor layer 32 of the recording medium 16 and the scanning and reproducing operation on the unexposed film F can be performed simultaneously. becomes possible. For this reason, the recording section 12
The process from taking a radiographic image of the subject to reproducing the image information on film F can be accomplished all at once in a short time, making it possible to perform extremely efficient radiographic image information recording and reproducing processes. This provides the advantage of

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the reading section 18 and the reproducing section 24 are provided independently, but a predetermined optical system can be used in common. This is shown in FIG.

That is, it is assumed that the respective laser light sources 42 and 70 configuring the reading section 18 and the reproducing section 24 emit different wavelengths, and the laser light 44 emitted from the laser light source 42
Light having the wavelength of the laser beam 44 is transmitted through the intersection of the laser beam 72 emitted from the laser light source 70 and the laser beam 72 emitted from the laser light source 70 intersects.
A dichroic mirror 75 is provided to reflect light having a wavelength of . Note that an optical modulator 74 is provided on the laser light output side of the laser light source 70. Further, a polygon mirror 80 is rotatably disposed in the optical path of the laser beam 44 transmitted through the dichroic mirror 75 and the laser beam 72 reflected by the dichroic mirror 75, and the polygon mirror 80 scans the laser beam on the laser beam reflection side of the polygon mirror 80. lens 82
is provided. A dichroic mirror 84 that reflects light of the wavelength of the laser light 44 and transmits light of the wavelength of the laser light 72 is arranged on the laser light output side of the scanning lens 82 so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle. In this case, the laser beam 44 reflected by the dichroic mirror 84 is
A reflecting mirror 8 is used to illuminate the stimulable phosphor layer 32 of 6.
6a and 86b are provided, and reflective mirrors 88a to 88c for irradiating the unexposed film F with the laser beam 72 transmitted through the dichroic mirror 84 are arranged at predetermined positions, respectively.

In such a configuration, when the laser light source 42 constituting the reading section 18 is driven, the laser light 44 derived from the laser light source 42 passes through the dichroic mirror 75, is reflected and deflected by the polygon mirror 80, and is reflected by the scanning lens 82. The dichroic mirror 84 is reached through the dichroic mirror 84. Further, the laser beam 44 is reflected by the dichroic mirror 84 in the vertically upward direction in the figure, and then reflected by the respective reflecting mirrors 86a, 8.
6b onto the stimulable phosphor layer 32 of the recording medium 16 in the main scanning direction. On the other hand, a laser beam 72 derived from a laser light source 70 constituting the reproducing section 24 is modulated via an optical modulator 74, and then is modulated by a dichroic mirror 75.
It is reflected by the polygon mirror 80, is reflected and deflected by the polygon mirror 80, reaches the scanning lens 82, is transmitted through the dichroic mirror 84, is split into the laser beam 44, and is reflected by the respective reflecting mirrors 88a to 88c. The light is then irradiated onto the unexposed film F.

In this way, the respective laser light sources 42, 70 can be placed close to each other, and by sharing the polygon mirror 80 and the scanning lens 82, the radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing apparatus 10 can be further miniaturized. The advantage is that.

In this case, in this embodiment, the laser beam 44 and the laser beam 72
are different wavelengths, and dichroic mirrors 75 and 8
4, but in JP-A No. 60-
As shown in No. 227218, both laser beams 44.72
The polarization directions of the laser beams 44 and 72 may be orthogonal to each other for combination and division.
4 may be configured to have different directions of incidence and separate optical paths. The applicant has filed various patent applications for this type of method of combining and dividing two different laser beams, such as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-225117 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-101909. The technical idea is disclosed in .

Next, another embodiment of the radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is shown in FIG. Explanation will be omitted.

In this case, in the device 90 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. be done.

Therefore, the stimulable phosphor layer 32 is fixed to the outer peripheral side of the endless support 30, and the erasing section 20 is located outside the recording medium 16.

On the other hand, the supply section 22 is disposed inside the recording medium 16, and a nip roller 92 is supported inside the recording medium 16 in the vicinity of the drive roller 40a.
A transfer means including a suction cup 94 is swingably provided in the vicinity of the suction cup 94 . A conveyor belt 96 and nip rollers 98a and 98b in sliding contact with the conveyor belt 96 are provided above the suction cup 94, and a storage portion 100 is formed adjacent to the nip roller 98b. Note that a receive magazine 102 is removably loaded in the housing section 100.

The radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing device 90 according to the second embodiment configured in this way is driven in substantially the same way as the device IO according to the first embodiment described above.
The operation of the device 90 will be schematically explained below.

That is, after a radiation image of a subject (not shown) is accumulated and recorded in the recording unit 12 on the recording body 16 which is cyclically displaced within the chamber 14, the radiation image is stored in the recording unit 12 and then transferred to the reading unit 18 disposed at the lower part of the chamber 14.
The accumulated and recorded image information is read out photoelectrically through. Next, the recording medium 1 from which the image information has been read
6 is a plurality of erasing light sources 58 when passing through the erasing section 20.
By lighting up, the afterimage radiation image information is erased, and the recording unit 12 is used to accumulate and record radiation image information of a new subject.

On the other hand, an unexposed film F is supplied from a supply magazine 60 loaded inside the recording body 16 under the driving action of a suction cup 62.
The unexposed film F is taken out one by one, and the unexposed film F is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow B) while being held between the nip roller 38a, the drive roller 40a, and the support 30 of the recording medium 16. At this time, the reproducing section 24 is driven to
The image will be exposed and reproduced over the entire surface. The film F after the completion of the scanning and reproduction is adsorbed by the suction cup 94 and deflected in its direction of travel, and then held between the conveyor belt 96 and nip rollers 98a and 98b and placed in the storage section 10.
It is sent into the receive magazine 102 loaded with 0.

As described above, in the radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus 90 according to the second implementation, the sub-scanning conveyance system of the film F is simplified at once, and the scanning reading process by the reading section 18 and the scanning reproduction by the reproducing section 24 are performed. It is easily understood that the steps can be performed simultaneously and the same effects as the apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a recording body is formed by fixing a stimulable phosphor layer to an endless belt-shaped support, and the recording body is cyclically displaced within an apparatus to absorb radiation. In addition to repeatedly accumulating and recording an image and reading the accumulated and recorded radiation image, when reproducing the image on a recording sheet such as a photographic material through a reproducing section, this recording sheet is subtracted from one side of the recording body. Scanning and conveying. Therefore, there is no need to provide a special conveyance system to convey the recording sheet in the sub-scanning direction, the configuration is simplified, the entire apparatus can be easily downsized, and it can be manufactured economically. Can be mentioned. Furthermore, it is now possible to perform scanning and reading of the recording medium and scanning and reproducing of the recording sheet at the same time, thereby shortening the process from accumulating and recording the radiation image of the subject to reproducing the image information of the subject onto the recording sheet. This can be accomplished in a timely and efficient manner.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment of a scanning system incorporated in the device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the device. 10... Device 12... Recording section 16
...recording body 18...reading section 20...
-Erasing section 24...Reproducing section 30...Support 32...Stormable phosphor layer 40a,
40b-drive roller

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A recording body in which a stimulable phosphor layer is formed on an endless support, and a recording unit that irradiates the cyclically displacing recording body with radiation having image information to accumulate and record radiation image information on the recording body. a reading section that photoelectrically reads the image information by irradiating a deflected light beam in the main scanning direction onto a recording medium that has accumulated and recorded the image information; and a recording medium from which the image information has been read by the reading section. an erasing section that erases afterimage image information by irradiating erasing light onto the recording sheet; and an erasing section that irradiates the recording sheet with a light beam modulated based on the radiation image information or other radiation image information while deflecting it in the main scanning direction to reproduce the image. A radiographic image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus comprising: a reproducing section for recording, and configured to convey the recording sheet in a sub-scanning direction in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction via the cyclically displacing recording body. . (2) In the apparatus according to claim 1, a pair of conveyance driving rollers are brought into sliding contact with both sides of the recording medium, and the recording sheet is conveyed in a sub-scanning manner by one of the driving rollers and the recording medium. A radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing device configured to (3) In the apparatus according to claim 2, the light beam led from the reading section and the light beam led out from the reproducing section are spaced approximately equally apart from the respective drive rollers in sliding contact with the recording medium. A radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing device configured to irradiate radiation images. (4) A radiation image information recording, reading and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the reading section and the reproducing section share a predetermined optical system. (5) A radiation image information recording/reading/reproducing apparatus in the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support is made of a light-shielding material.