Patent ID: 7297973

Claim:
A breast image obtaining method for use with a stimulable phosphor panel accommodated in a housing, said panel being capable of storing image information carried by radioactive rays when irradiated with said rays, and generating stimulated luminescence in proportion to said image information when scanned with excitation light, said method comprising the steps of: imaging a breast image of a subject by irradiating the radioactive rays passed through the breast on said stimulable phosphor panel; and reading out said breast image by mechanically scanning said panel with said excitation light, and detecting stimulated luminescence generated by said scanning; wherein said imaging is performed after said panel is moved inside the housing to a place close to the chest wall of the subject, and said reading is performed after said panel is moved inside the housing to a place remote from the chest wall of the subject; wherein said read out is performed after said panel is moved inside the housing to a place remote from the chest wall of the subject such that said excitation light scans past an end of said panel that is closer to the chest wall of the subject as defined in the breast image.