1. An image scanning and recording method for recording an image by scanning a photosensitive recording medium with a light beam where said image to be recorded comprises a single X-ray photograph carrying an image of a certain portion of a patient's body, which comprises: designating a plurality of different image regions on said X-ray photograph where each of said image regions comprises an area substantially greater than one pixel and where said designated image regions each correspond to a predetermined section of said certain portion of the patient's body; preprocessing each designated image region to establish a predetermined image processing condition for that region; scanning the preprocessed X-ray photograph to obtain an electric scanned image signal; processing each said designated image region in said electric scanned image signal in accordance with the said predetermined image processing condition established for that region; and recording each of the processed designated image regions in said electric scanned image signal on a photosensitive recording medium.