Photo-stimulable phosphor imaging systems can be used in daylight, but the energy stored in the plate fades with ambient light and delay. In this study, an Arduino based experimental platform was revised to generate continuous and interrupted light. Scanning of the plates was delayed for a total of 4 minutes, while light was emitted for a total of 2 minutes. In continuous experiments, the light was applied at the beginning, middle, and end of the period, while in interrupted experiments, the light was switched on and off at a ratio of 1:3 at different time intervals. Half of the plates were protected from the ambient light during exposure. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and Contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios were calculated using the second and fourth regions of the step-wedge. On the light side, the highest SNR values were found in the 5–15 s and the lowest in the 250–750 ms interrupted sequences. Contrast-to-noise values ranged between 23.7 and 46.7. On the dark side, the highest SNR value was found in the 250–750 ms experiment, while the lowest was calculated in the continuous light experiment with the middle sequence. Contrast-to-noise values were found between found 76.6 and 154.6. The mean SNR values were higher on the light side, while the mean CNR values were lower (p = 0.02). This may indicate that the image correction algorithm results in a gain in SNR and a loss in CNR. The tool used in this research is different from other studies in terms of the modulation of LEDs and sensor tracking, and it is the first among the experiments conducted with the box by investigating the effect of different timings in the same color. This research is aimed at obtaining results in the sense of materials science, rather than an outcome that will be used directly in the clinic.
Cite this article as: H. Amasya, "Photo-stimulable phosphor plate imaging systems and ambient light exposure: effect of timing on quantitative image quality tests," Electrica, 25, 0116, 2025. doi: 10.5152/electrica.2025.24116.