Patent ID: 6570178
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A radiation image data readout method comprisingirradiating with a stimulating-light emitted in a line-shape a portion of the surface of a stimulable phosphor sheet storing radiation image data, receiving and photoelectrically converting, by use of a line sensor formed of one or more CCD sensors each divided into a plurality of pixel regions along the lengthwise direction of the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been irradiated by the stimulating-light emitted in a line-shape, the stimulated emission emitted from the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been irradiated by the stimulating-light emitted in a line-shape or the portion of the rear face of the stimulable phosphor sheet corresponding to the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been irradiated by the stimulating-light emitted in a line-shape, moving the line-light source emitting the stimulating-light and the line sensor relatively, in a direction different from that of aforementioned lengthwise direction, from one end of the stimulable phosphor sheet to the other and sequentially reading out the output of the line sensor corresponding to each readout line according to aforementioned movement, and obtaining the output of each of the pixel regions at each of the positions of the readout lines, wherein when readout is performed, the radiation energy stored on the readout line of each position is estimated, and based on said estimated quantity of radiation energy, the readout settings, which are formed of the line sensor charge accumulation time and the binning conditions, are set, and the readout lines are readout according to said readout conditions.