Patent ID: 7071483

Claim:
A multi-axis scanning module for providing electromagnetic radiation to and collecting emitted light and reflected light from a photo-stimulatable radiographic media, comprising: a) a housing moveable on a first axis relative to the radiographic media wherein the housing comprises: i) a reflective chamber; ii) a channel for transmitting a laser beam in communication with the reflective chamber; iii) a first opening in communication with the reflective chamber adapted for permitting the electromagnetic radiation to pass out of the chamber and the emitted light and the reflected light to be gathered in the chamber; and iv) a second opening in communication with the reflective chamber; b) a laser disposed in the channel to generate the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the channel and out the first opening to stimulate an area on the radiographic media, wherein the reflective chamber is adapted to receive (a) light emitted from the stimulated area on the radiographic media and (b) reflected light from the stimulated area; c) a filter for passing only light emitted from the area, wherein the filter is disposed between the reflective chamber and the second opening; d) a light detector disposed adjacent the filter in the second opening for detecting the emitted light; and e) wherein the multi-axis scanning module is adapted to move transitionally on the first axis while the laser is dithered on a second axis relative to the first axis to enable swath scanning of the radiographic media.