Granted Patent B2

US 7,129,511 · App. 10/719,630 · Granted Oct 31, 2006

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A scanning module for emitting light to and collecting light from a photo-stimulable radiographic sheet, comprising:

(a) a housing comprising a channel; a cylindrical center chamber in communication with the channel comprising a mirrored surface; a first opening communicating with the cylindrical chamber; and a second opening communicating with the cylindrical chamber;

(b) a laser disposed in the housing and adapted to generate a beam of stimulating electromagnetic radiation through the channel and the first opening onto a stimulated area of the photo-stimulatable radiographic sheet, and wherein the stimulated area emits light and reflected light, both of which enter the first opening and the cylindrical chamber;

(c) a light detector disposed in the second opening for receiving light emitted and reflected into the cylindrical chamber;

(d) a filter disposed at the second opening of the housing for selectively passing only the emitted light from the stimulated area of the photo-stimulatable radiographic sheet to the light detector; and

wherein the center chamber is an elliptical reflector comprising an overall length between 15 mm and 30 mm and a degree of curvature in the chamber between 20 degrees and 30 degrees.

2. The scanning module of claim 1 wherein the radiographic sheet is a phosphorous sheet.

3. The scanning module of claim 1 wherein the laser is a multimode, 635 nanometer, 100 mW, or a single mode 635 nanometer, 100 mW laser.

4. The scanning module of claim 1 wherein the filter is a blue filter.

5. The scanning module of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a plastic, a polycarbonate, a composite, or a metal.

6. The scanning module of claim 1 wherein the housing is a molded one-piece construction.

7. The scanning module of claim 1 , wherein the optical filter comprises an anti-reflective coating.

8. A system for emitting light to and collecting light from a photo-stimulatable radiographic sheet comprising:

(a) a housing comprising a channel; a cylindrical center chamber in communication with the channel comprising a mirrored surface; a first opening communicating with the cylindrical chamber; and a second opening communicating with the cylindrical chamber;

(b) an analog to digital converter adapted to receive a signal from the light detector;

(c) a control processing unit adapted to receive the signal from the analog to digital converter, wherein the control processing unit stores the signal;

(d) an output device adapted to receive the signal from the control processing unit; and

wherein the center chamber is an elliptical reflector having an overall length between 15 and 30 mm and a degree of curvature in the chamber between 20 and 30 degrees.

9. The scanning system of claim 8 wherein the radiographic sheet is a phosphorous sheet.

10. The scanning system of claim 8 wherein the laser is a multimode, 635 nanometer, 100 mW, or a single mode 635 nanometer, 100 mW laser.

11. The scanning system of claim 8 , wherein a blue filter is disposed at the second opening.

12. The scanning system of claim 8 wherein the housing comprises a plastic, a polycarbonate, a composite or a metal.

13. The scanning system of claim 8 wherein the housing is a molded one piece construction.

14. The scanning system of claim 8 , wherein said system is mounted on a rotating disc to scan radiographic media mounted on an integral rotating drum.

Assignments (13)