It is important to initialize Image Plate (IP) completely for removing residual latent image by sodium lamp for reliability and repeatability of computed radiography (CR) system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate latent images of computed radiography (CR) images respect to delay time after erasure of foregone latent image and its effect, and erasure level. Erasure thoroughness for CR acceptance test from American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) Report 93 (2006) was also evaluated. Measurements were made on a CR (Agfa CR 25; Agfa, BELGIUM) system. Chest postero-anterior (PA), Hand PA, L-spine lateral radiographs were chosen for evaluation. Chest phantom (3D-torso; CIRS, USA) was used for Chest PA and L-spine lateral radiography. For Hand PA radiography, projections was done without phantom. Except Hand PA radiographs, noise was increased with delay time, and ghost image was appeared on overexposed area. Effect of delay after erasure on latent image was not seen on naked eye, but standard deviation (SD) of pixel value on overexposed area was relatively higher than that of other areas. On Hand PA and Chest PA radiographs, noise were not occurred by adjustment of erasure level. On L-spine lateral images at lower erasure level than standard level, noise including ghost image were occurred because of high tube current. Erasure thoroughness of CR system in our department was to be proved by these evaluation. The results of this study could be used as a baseline for IP initialization and reliability of CR images.

KeywordsImage Plate, Erasure level, Erasure thoroughness