Patent ID: 7348110

Claim:
A method of forming a visible image, the method comprising the steps of: exposing a first area of a photothermographic material to form a latent image, the photothermographic material comprising a support having thereon one or more thermally-developable imaging layers which are developed when the photothermographic graphic material is thermally processed; exposing a second area, different than the first area, of the photothermographic material to form a second latent image different from that in the first area, the second area disposed along the entire length of a leading edge of the photothermographic material; the area extending up to 25 mm from the leading edge; such that, when developed, the second area has an image density less than the Dmax and greater than the Dmin of the photothermographic material; exposing a third area, different from the first and second areas, of the photothermographic material to form a third latent image different from those in the first and second areas, the third area disposed along the entire length of a side edge of the photothermographic material such that, when developed, the third area has an image density of about Dmax of the photothermographic material; transporting the photothermographic material to a thermal processor such that the leading edge first contacts the thermal processor; and thermally processing the first, second, and third areas to develop the visible images.