Patent ID: 7091511

Claim:
A radiation image read-out method, comprising the steps of: i) linearly irradiating stimulating rays through a cylindrical lens onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, with stimulating ray irradiating means, the stimulating rays causing the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation, ii) receiving light, which is emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet, with a line sensor comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the linear stimulating rays, the received light being subjected to photoelectric conversion performed by the line sensor, and iii) moving the stimulable phosphor sheet with respect to the stimulating ray irradiating means and the line sensor and in a direction intersecting with a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the linear stimulating rays, wherein the stimulating ray irradiating means comprises: a plurality of laser diodes located such that laser beams, which have been produced by the laser diodes and act as the stimulating rays, stand in a row along the length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the linear stimulating rays, each of the laser diodes being located in an orientation such that a beam spread direction, which is normal to a junction plane, approximately coincides with the direction, along which the laser beams stand in a row, and the cylindrical lens operable to converge each of the laser beams, which have been produced by the laser diodes, only in a plane normal to the direction, along which the laser beams stand in a row, and onto the stimulable phosphor sheet.