Patent ID: 6895106

Claim:
A method of forming a composite digital image comprising: providing 1-N digital images formed from 1-N contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image recorded in 1-N overlapping storage phosphor screens wherein N is equal to or greater than 2 and wherein the image content in the overlapped region of contiguous images is the same, and an end edge of a screen nearest an x-ray source is present in both contiguous images; selecting a pair of contiguous digital images, wherein one image of the pair is closer to said x-ray source than an other image of the pair; correcting for any geometric distortion if applicable in said pair of digital images based on the distance between x-ray source and said storage phosphor screen; determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between said pair of digital images by matching an end edge of said one image present in said pair of images; correcting for image orientation if applicable based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement between said pair of digital images by correlating the image content in said overlapping regions of said pair of digital images; stitching said pair of digital images together to form a larger composite digital image along said one image edge based on any said horizontal and vertical displacement; and repeating said correcting for any geometric distortion to said stitching with the larger composite image and the next consecutive overlapping digital image until all N digital images are stitched together to form a full composite image, wherein, at the time of recording, said overlapping storage phosphor screens are contained in staggered cassettes that are staggered in an alternating arrangement or an oblique arrangement.