Mammographic radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

• US 4,721,856 A
• Filed: 10/29/1985
• Issued: 01/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saotome, Shigeru, Ishida, Masamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Fields, Carolyn E.
• Application Number:
  US06/792,386
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 250/327.2, 378/37
• US Class Current: 250/583
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 42/02 using X-rays

Abstract

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus suitable for use in mammography comprises, as integrated into a single unit, a mammographic image recording section, an image read-out and erasing section and a circulation and conveyance system for circulating at least one stimulable phosphor sheet through the two sections for repeated recording and read-out of radiation images. The mammographic image recording section is attached to the image read-out and erasing section to be rotatable and vertically slidable relative thereto so as to permit free selection of the recording position during mammography. The mammographic image recording section and the image read-out and erasing section have respective slots which come into alignment at a prescribed position of the mammographic image recording section relative to the image read-out and erasing section and the stimulable phosphor sheet is transferred between the two sections by the conveyance system when the mammographic image recording section is in the prescribed position.

Claims

1. A mammographic radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising:

(i) a mammographic image recording section (10) provided with a radiation source (11) for emitting radiation through a human breast onto a stimulable phosphor sheet (2) and an image recording case (12) having therein a sheet holding means (17) for holding the stimulable phosphor sheet stationary in an image recording position during exposure, opposite to and facing the radiation source,

(ii) an image read-out and erasing section (30) provided with (a) an image read-out means comprising a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a mammographic radiation image stored thereon in the mammographic image recording section and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted from siad stimulable phosphor sheet scanned with said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and (b) an erasing means for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted in said image read-out section, releasing the radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet; and

(iii) a circulation and conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet from the image recording case of the mammographic image recording section through the image recording means and the erasing means and back to the image recording case, wherein the mammographic image recording section is attached to the read-out and erasing section so as to be moveable with respect thereto.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said radiation source and said image recording case are mounted on opposite ends of an arm which is attached to said image read-out and erasing section to be rotatable and vertically slidable relative thereto.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said image recording case has a slot, said image read-out and erasing section is housed in a case having a slot and said slots come into alignment at a prescribed position of the mammographic image recording section with respect to the image read-out and erasing section, wherein the stimulable phosphor sheet can be transferred between the mammographic image recording section and the image read-out and erasing section through said slots by the circulation and conveyance system when the mammographic image recording section is in said position.