Patent ID: 6864499

Claim:
A radiation image read-out method of reading out a radiation image recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet in which stimulating light is projected by a stimulating light projecting means onto the stimulable phosphor sheet to expose a linear portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet extending in a main scanning direction to the stimulating light and stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light is detected by a line sensor extending in the main scanning direction with an imaging optical system intervening between the stimulable phosphor sheet and the line sensor or with the line sensor held in the vicinity of the stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein the improvement comprises that the stimulable phosphor sheet is fixed in a read-out position, and said radiation image is read out while the stimulating light projecting means and the line sensor are being moved relatively to the fixed stimulable phosphor sheet in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction, wherein the stimulating light projecting means projects the stimulating light having a linear beam shape extending in the main scanning direction.