Method of and apparatus for reading out radiation image

1. A method of reading out a radiation image comprising the steps of

causing a linear reading light beam to scan a radiation image sensor, on which a radiation image is recorded upon exposure to radiation bearing thereon the radiation image and which has a plurality of parallel linear electrodes to output charge signals according to the radiation image when longitudinally scanned by a linear reading light beam extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear electrodes, in the longitudinal direction of its linear electrodes, and obtaining an image signal by integrating charge signals, output by the respective linear electrodes in response to the scan of the reading light beam, for each integrating time, wherein the improvement comprises that

a pulsed light beam which is projected by a pulsed light source onto the radiation image sensor for a predetermined time in each of the integrating times is employed as the reading light beam, and

projection of the pulsed light beam is controlled by a light emission control means so that the center of the time for which the pulsed light beam is projected onto the radiation image sensor is earlier than the center of the integrating time;

wherein the light emission control means controls the emission initiating time of the pulsed light beam by the pulsed light source so that there is a non-lighting time, for which the reading light beam is not lit, before the pulsed light beam is projected onto the radiation image sensor in the integrating time.

2. A method of reading out a radiation image according to claim 1 , wherein the projection of said pulsed light beam is stopped before each integrating time is reset.

3. A method of reading out a radiation image according to claim 1 , wherein said integrating time comprises a time at which a reset of the integrating time is performed.

4. An apparatus for reading out a radiation image comprising

a reading light source portion which causes a linear reading light beam to scan a radiation image sensor, on which a radiation image is recorded upon exposure to radiation bearing thereon the radiation image and which has a plurality of parallel linear electrodes to output charge signals according to the radiation image when longitudinally scanned by a linear reading light beam extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear electrodes, in the longitudinal direction of its linear electrodes, and an image signal detecting portion having a plurality of integrating amplifiers which obtain an image signal by integrating charge signals, output by the respective linear electrodes in response to the scan of the reading light beam, for each integrating time and outputs the integrated image signal, wherein the improvement comprises that

the reading light source comprises

a pulsed light source which emits a pulsed light beam projected onto the radiation image sensor for a predetermined time in each of the integrating times as the reading light beam, and

a light emission control means which controls projection of the pulsed light beam by the pulsed light source so that the center of the time for which the pulsed light beam is projected onto the radiation image sensor is earlier than the center of the integrating time;

wherein the light emission control means controls the emission initiating time of the pulsed light beam by the pulsed light source so that there is a non-lighting time, for which the reading light beam is not lit, before the pulsed light beam is projected onto the radiation image sensor in the integrating time.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said integrating time comprises a time at which a reset of at least one of the integrating amplifiers is performed wherein the at least one integrating amplifier is turned on and then turned off.