a storage phosphor reader includes a multicassette autoloader for vertically oriented storage phosphor cassettes , the autoloader having a front , back , and opposite sides . the autoloader includes an input bin for receiving multiple vertically oriented storage phosphor cassettes stacked together in face - to - face contact such that said cassette faces face front and back ; wherein each of said cassettes contains a storage phosphor which is removable from said cassette ; and an output bin located beside said input bin , said output bin having a storage phosphor read location at which a storage phosphor is removed from and replaced in a storage phosphor cassette positioned at said storage phosphor read location , and having an output region for read cassettes to be subsequently removed from said output bin .