Radiation image reproducing apparatus with image storage ID code for identifying exposure data file

• US 4,739,480 A
• Filed: 11/28/1986
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1981
• 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: Oono, Hiroshi, Teshima, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/936,923
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 364/414, 378/98, 378/99, 378/165, 378/166, 235/494, 250/271, 250/327.2, 354/105, 354/109
• US Class Current: 250/584
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4494 Means for identifying the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2012 using stimulable phosphors, e.g. stimulable phosphor sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 42/047 provided with marking means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

A data processing system for a radiation image reproducing apparatus includes an input device for entering an identification code assigned to a radiation image storage panel and data related with an exposure at an exposing device when the storage panel is exposed to an imagewise radiation. The input device is associated with the exposing device.

Claims

1. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing radiation image storage panels having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object, each of said radiation image storage panels further having label means suitable for associating an identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

an input means provided in the vicinity of each of said exposing devices for receiving an identification code assigned to a storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said radiation image storage panel at the exposing device;

transmission means for transmitting signals representative of the identification code and the data; and

a single central image processing station for said plurality of exposing devices which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image stored in the storage panel in accordance with the correlated data,

said image processing means comprising a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to stimulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated threwith, and an image reproducing device for reproducing the radiation image based on both the electrical signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

2. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising recording means for recording in the storage panel an identification code particular to the panel in the event of an exposure at the exposing device.

3. A data processing system as claimed in claim 2, in which the recording means includes means for generating a particular identification code.

4. A data processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said input means includes receiver means for receiving a particular identification code assigned at the image reproducing device in relation with an exposure at the exposing device, the recording means recording in the storage panel the identification code received by the receiver means of said input means.

5. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, in which the input means includes reading means for reading an identification code assigned to the storage panel and data related with the exposure.

6. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, in which the input means includes a manually operable input device which is manually operable to enter the data related with the exposure into the input means.

7. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, in which the input means includes sensor means for sensing the conditions of an exposure carried out at the exposing device.

8. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising display means connected to said input means for displaying the condition in which the identification code of the storage panel and predetermined data related with the exposure have not previously been entered into the input means upon making an exposure at the exposing device.

9. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means connected to said input means and said exposing device for inhibiting the radiation function of the exposing device at the time of an exposure unless at least the identification code of the storage panel and predetermined data related with the exposure have been previously entered into the input means.

10. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image processing means further comprises:

storage means for storing data related with an exposure while matching the data with an identification code;

first reading means provided in the vicinity of the image reading device for reading the identification code provided on the exposed storage panel provided to the image reading device; and

searching means for searching for data stored in said storage means which matches the identification code read by the first reading means.

11. A data processing system as claimed in claim 10, in which the input means includes a second reading means for reading an identification code assigned to the storage panel and data related with the exposure.

12. A data processing system as claimed in claim 10, in which the input means includes a manually operable input means which is manually operable to enter the data related with the exposure into the input means.

13. A data processing system as claimed in claim 10, in which the input means includes a sensor means for sensing the conditions of an exposure carried out at the exposing device.

14. A data processing system as claimed in claim 10, in which the searching means includes recording means for recording the searched data as a visible image on a recording medium together with the radiation image read by the image reading device.

15. A data processing system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a backup storage device provided in the vicinity of the exposing device to store in a storage medium thereof the identification code and the corresponding data entered into the input means, and auxiliary means for reading the identification code and its corresponding data out of said storage medium and storing said code and data in the storage means.

16. A data processing system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising second input means for receiving the identification code of a storage panel and data related with the panel, said second input means being provided in the vicinity of the image reading device.

17. A data processing system as claimed in claim 14, in which the first reading means includes means for manually entering the identification code of a storage panel.

18. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of the exposing devices are provided, an input means being provided to each of the exposing devices.

19. A radiation image processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image processing means further comprises means to sense the identification code assigned to the storage panel to identify the specific panel, and means to obtain the data correlated to said storage panel by the identification code, from said receiving means.

20. A radiation image processing system as claimed in claim 19, further including means for determining the conditions on photoelectrically reading out the radiation image stored in the storage panel in response to the data correlated to said storage panel.

21. A radiation image processing system as claimed in claim 20, further including means for visually indicating said data correlated to said storage panel and the conditions used in photoelectrically reading out the radiation image together with the reproduced radiation image.

22. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing a radiation image storage panel having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object said radiation image storage panel further having label means suitable for associating an identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

a plurality of input means at least one input means being provided in the vicinity of each exposing device for receiving an identification code assigned to the storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said storage panel at the exposing device;

interlock means connected to said input means and its corresponding exposing device for inhibiting the radiation function of an exposing device, unless at least the identification code of the storage panel and predetermined data related to the exposure have been previously received by said input means;

transmission means for transmitting signals representative of the identification code and the data; and

a central image processing station which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image stored in the storage panel in accordance with the correlated data.

said image processing comprising a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to simulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated therewith, and an image reproducing device for reproducing the radiation image based on both the electric signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

23. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing a radiation image storage panel having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object said radiation image storage panel further having label means suitable for associating an identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

recorder means provided in the vicinity of said respective exposing devices, said recorder means for receiving a particular identification code assigned to a radiation storage panel by said central image processing station in relation to an exposure at the exposing device, and recording the particular identification code on the label means of said radiation image storage panel;

a plurality of input means, at least one output means being provided in the vicinity of each exposing device for receiving an identification code assigned to the storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said storage panel at the exposing device;

transmission means for transmitting signals representative of the identification code and the data; and

a central image processing station which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image stored in the storage panel in accordance with correlated data,

said image processing means comprising a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to stimulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated therewith, and an image reproducing device for reproducing the radiation image based on both the electric signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

24. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing a radiation image storage panel having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object said radiation image storage panel further having label means suitable for associating an identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

recorder means provided in the vicinity of said respective exposing devices, said recorder means for generating a particular identification code to be assigned to a radiation image storage panel in relation to an exposure at the exposure device, and recording the particular identification code on the label means of said radiation image storage panel;

a plurality of input means, at least one input means being provided in the vicinity of each exposing device for receiving an identification code assigned to the storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said storage panel at the exposing device;

transmission means for transmitting signals representative of the identification code and the data; and

a central image processing station which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image stored in the storage panel in accordance with correlated data,

said image processing means comprising a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to stimulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated therewith, and an image reproducing device for reproducing the radiation image based on both the electric signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

25. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing a radiation image storage panel having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object said radiation image storage panel further having a machine readable label associating a particular identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

a plurality of input means, at least one input means being provided in the vicinity of each exposing device, each input means including first reading means for reading said machine readable label to obtain the particular identification code associated with said radiation image storage panel, and receiving means for receiving data related with a radiation exposure of said radiation image storage panel at the exposing device;

transmission means for transmitting signals representative of the identification code and the data; and

a central image processing station which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image stored in the storage panel in accordance with correlated data,

said image processing means comprising a second reading means for reading and machine readable label to obtain the particular identification code associated with a radiation image storage panel to be processed, a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to stimulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated therewith, and an image reproducing device for reproducing the radiation image based on both the electric signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

26. A radiation image processing system comprising:

a plurality of exposing devices remote from a central image processing station for exposing radiation image storage panels having a stimulable phosphor layer responsive to radiation transmitted through an object to store a radiation image of the object, each of said radiation image storage panels further having label means suitable for associating an identification code with said radiation image storage panel;

a single input means common to at least two of said exposure devices for receiving an identification code assigned to a storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said radiation image storage panel at the exposing device;

a single central image processing station for said plurality of exposing devices which comprises receiving means for receiving and storing the identification code and the data transmitted by said transmission means and to correlate a storage panel with stored data by means of the identification code, and image processing means for processing a radiation image storage in the storage panel in accordance with the correlated data,

said image processing means comprising a reading device for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored in the storage panel by exposing the panel to stimulating rays to thereby produce an electrical signal associated therewith, and an image reproducing device reproducing the radiation image based on both the electric signal, and on the data correlated to said storage panel by means of the identification code.

27. A radiation image processing system as claimed in claim 26, further including additional input means, one for each exposure device which does not share said single common input means each of said additional input means being in the vicinity of a respective exposure device, each of said additional input means for receiving an identification code assigned to a storage panel and data related to a radiation exposure of said radiation image storage panel at the exposing device.