Radiography plate with automatic exposure time recording mechanism
A radiation exposure recording device and radiography method are disclosed, where the radiation exposure recording device includes a radiation exposure recording medium, a housing that at least partly surrounds the radiation exposure recording medium, and a first detector that detects a radiation exposure. An output signal produced in response to the detecting of the radiation exposure can be provided, and the detection of and output of a signal in response to the radiation exposure is entirely automatic and independent of any manual processing of the radiation exposure recording device. Further, the radiography method includes providing a first radiation exposure recording medium, providing a first radiation exposure detector, and sensing an exposure of radiation at the first radiation exposure detector. Also disclosed is a circuit that can be retrofitted to existing radiography cassettes for detecting when the cassettes are exposed to radiation.
1. A radiation exposure recording device comprising:
a radiation exposure recording medium;
a housing that at least partly surrounds the radiation exposure recording medium;
a first detector that detects a first radiation exposure and produces at least one signal in response to detecting the first radiation exposure;
a clock circuit providing a current time signal;
a storage circuit communicating with the first detector and the clock circuit to store the current time signal at the time of the first radiation exposure; and
a wireless transmitter receiving the stored current time from the storage circuit to transmit a wireless digital signal based upon the signal to a remote device.
2. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , wherein the radiation exposure recording medium is a radiation-sensitive film.
3. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , wherein the radiation exposure recording medium is a photostimulable plate.
4. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless digital signal is communicated to a cassette reader.
5. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , further comprising a second detector, wherein the first detector detects a first radiation exposure with respect to a first portion of the radiation exposure recording device, and the second detector detects a second radiation exposure with respect to a second portion of the radiation exposure recording device.
6. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the first radiation exposure includes determining that the first radiation exposure equaled or exceeded a first threshold.
7. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the first radiation exposure includes determining an accumulated amount of radiation exposure.
8. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 wherein the clock circuit further with a time synchronization circiut, the time synchronization circuit communicating with a reference time source to verify the time of the clock circuit.
9. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter is a radio transmitter.
10. A radiation exposure recording device comprising:
a radiation exposure recording medium;
a housing that at least partly surrounds the radiation exposure recording medium;
a first detector that detects a first radiation exposure and produces at least one signal in response to detecting the first radiation exposure; a clock circuit providing a current time signal; a storage circuit communicating with the first detector and the clock circuit to store the current time signal at the time of the first radiation exposure;
means for communicating the signal to a user including a wireless transmitter transmitting the signal as a wireless digital signal to a separate reader;
wherein the first detector is located on an outer surface of the housing; and
wherein the first detector is in the form of at least one of a sticker, a label and a card that is adhered to the surface of the housing.
11. The radiation exposure detection device of claim 10 , wherein the radiation exposure recording medium is a radiation-sensitive film.
12. The radiation exposure detection device of claim 10 , wherein the radiation exposure recording medium is a photostimulable plate.
13. The radiation exposure recording device of claim 10 , further comprising a second detector, wherein the first detector detects the first radiation exposure with respect to a first portion of the radiation exposure recording device, and the second detector detects a second radiation exposure with respect to a second portion of the radiation exposure device.