What occurs to the imaging plate as soon as it is inserted into the CR reader?

• A. Energy trapped in the IP is released as light photons
• B. It is read by a laser moving in a raster pattern
• C. The cassette is hit with a laser
• D. The IP is extracted by rollers

Answer: (D)

When the imaging plate is placed in the CR reader, the plate is transported inside and scanned by a laser that moves across its surface in a raster pattern. The laser stimulates the trapped electrons in the phosphor layer, causing them to emit light (photostimulated luminescence). This emitted light is then detected and converted into the digital image. The reading action is the laser scanning process; the cassette isn’t irradiated by a laser, and the plate isn’t simply “extracted” by rollers—the plate is moved inside the reader to be read.