A method for reading a radiation image from a stimulable phosphor sheet
composed of a substrate and a stimulable phosphor layer containing a
latent radiation image by means of a radiation image-reading means having
stimulating light-applying unit and a stimulated emission-collecting unit
having a lens and a stimulated emission-receiving plane, which is
performed by the steps of applying a stimulating light onto the phosphor
layer under the condition that the phosphor sheet moves along its sheet
plane in relation to the stimulated emission-collecting unit; collecting a
stimulated emission emitting from the area onto which the stimulating
light is applied on the emission-receiving plane through the lens; and
photoelectrically converting the collected emission into electric signals
in the stimulated emission-collecting unit, is improved by moving the
stimulable phosphor sheet in relation to the emission-collecting unit
under the condition that the stimulating light-applied area of the
stimulable phosphor layer is kept apart from the center of the
emission-receiving plane with a space in the range defined by a
combination of a reference space and a focal depth of the lens, in which
the reference space is defined by a length at which the stimulated from
the phosphor layer focuses on the plane after passing through the lens.
