A radiation image that has been stored in an image plate (19), such as a photostimulable phosphor screen is read by stimulating an information-bearing target area (13) with stimulating light (1). The information bearing target area responds to this stimulation by emitting information-bearing light (2) and reflecting backscatter light (3). The combination (4) of information-bearing light and backscatter light is collimated, allowing efficient rejection of backscatter light. The information-bearing light is subsequently focused onto an information receiving target (17), such as a charge-coupled device (CCD).
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/947,082, filed on Sep. 22, 2004, entitled "Confocal Scanner System and Method", which application is based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/504,878 entitled "Confolcal Scanner", filed on Sep. 22, 2003, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
