1. A method of forming a composite image from first and second digital images formed by recording first and second contiguous segments of a larger radiographic image in first and second overlapping storage phosphor members, exposed to a source of X-rays wherein the image content in the overlapped region is the same in both images and the end edge of said first member is present both on said first image and as a shadow edge in said second image, said method comprising: correcting for geometric distortion in said first and second digital images; determining any rotational displacement and any vertical displacement between said first and second images by matching said first member end edge in said first image to its shadow in said second image; correcting for image orientation based on any said rotational displacement; determining any horizontal displacement between said first and second images by correlating said image content in said overlapped region of said first and second images; and stitching said first and second images together along said first member end edge based on any said horizontal and vertical displacements.