Patent ID: 7041999

Claim:
An image read-out method of obtaining an image signal bearing thereon image information by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor which emits stimulated emission in proportion to the stored energy of radiation upon exposure to stimulating light and a solid image sensor having a photoconductive material layer which exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to the stimulated emission from the stimulable phosphor sheet and by scanning with stimulating light a stimulable phosphor sheet which has been exposed to radiation and has stored thereon an image, causing the photoconductive material layer to be exposed to stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light, and detecting electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer upon exposure to the stimulated emission by applying an electric field to the photoconductive material layer, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of using a solid image sensor whose photoconductive material layer also exhibits electric conductivity upon exposure to recording light bearing thereon image information or momentary light emitted from the stimulable phosphor layer upon exposure to the recording light, projecting the recording light onto the stimulable phosphor sheet while applying an electric field to the photoconductive material layer, and detecting charges generated in the photoconductive material layer when the recording light or the momentary light impinges upon the photoconductive material layer, thereby obtaining a preliminary read-out image signal bearing thereon image information, wherein a solid image sensor in which a pair of electrode layers are provided on opposite sides of the photoconductive material layer and the electrode of one of the electrode layers is divided into a stripe electrode comprising a plurality of line electrode elements arranged in a row be used, and electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer when the recording light or the momentary light impinges upon die photoconductive material layer are detected by line electrode elements of said one electrode layer, and wherein a solid image sensor in which the electrode of the other electrode layer is also divided into a stripe electrode comprising a plurality of line electrode elements arranged in a row, each extending to intersect the line electrode elements of said one electrode layer is used, and electric charges generated in the photoconductive material layer when the recording light or the momentary light impinges upon the photoconductive material layer is detected also by line electrode elements of said the other electrode layer, wherein a signal for activating line electrode elements of at least one of the pair of electrode layers are controlled to only partially overlap activation of line electrode elements disposed next to each other.