US Patent 7208264 Photothermographic material and method of forming images

A photothermographic material wherein at least an image-forming layer on at least one surface of a support, the image-forming layer containing a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein,an outermost layer is provided as a layer most remote from the support on the side of the support where the image-forming layer is provided,a non-photosensitive intermediate layer A containing a binder and provided in adjacent with the image-forming layer and between the image-forming layer and the outermost layer, whereinthe binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A contains 80% by mass or more of a polymer formed by copolymerizing a monomer represented by Formula (M),a non-photosensitive intermediate layer B containing a binder and provided between the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A and the outermost layer, andthe binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B contains 50% by mass or more of a hydrophilic polymer derived from animal protein:CH2═CR01—CR02═CH2,  Formula (M)as well as image forming method thereof.