A multiple inverse fan beam x-ray diffraction imaging MIFB XDI system including a multi-focus x-ray source MFXS, the MIFB XDI system including an examination area and a detector array including a plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors positioned with respect to the examination area and configured to detect coherent scatter rays from a plurality of primary beams as the plurality of primary beams propagate through an object positioned on a support within the examination area, the plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors positioned with respect to a plurality of convergence points positioned along a line parallel to a y-axis of the MIFB XDI system at a coordinate X = L such that the plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors is parallel with the plurality of convergence points at the coordinate X = L and such that each coherent scatter detector of the plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors is positioned at the same y-coordinate as a corresponding convergence point of the plurality of convergence points, and each coherent scatter detector is further positioned at a distance in a direction along a z-axis from the corresponding convergence point, the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis perpendicular to each other, the MFXS comprising: a plurality of focus points defined along the MFXS colinear with the y-axis, each focus point of the plurality of focus points configured to be sequentially activated to emit an x-ray fan beam including the plurality of primary beams each directed to a corresponding convergence point of the plurality of convergence points, the MFXS configured to generate the plurality of primary beams, and wherein each point of a section of the object positioned within the examination area is seen by at least M coherent x-ray scatter detectors and a spacing P between adjacent coherent x-ray scatter detectors of the plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors satisfies the equation: P = W s ⋅ V M ⋅ U, where W s is a lateral extent of the plurality of focus points, U is a distance from the y-axis to a top surface of the examination area along the line parallel to the x-axis, the top surface opposite the support with respect to the x-axis, and V is a distance from the top surface to the line at the coordinate X = L along the line parallel to the x-axis, where the top surface of the examination area is defined closer to the coherent x-ray scatter detectors than the support such that values of U are greater than values of V, characterised in that W s is less than a lateral extent of the detector array. a plurality of focus points defined along the MFXS colinear with the y-axis, each focus point of the plurality of focus points configured to be sequentially activated to emit an x-ray fan beam including the plurality of primary beams each directed to a corresponding convergence point of the plurality of convergence points, the MFXS configured to generate the plurality of primary beams, and wherein each point of a section of the object positioned within the examination area is seen by at least M coherent x-ray scatter detectors and a spacing P between adjacent coherent x-ray scatter detectors of the plurality of coherent x-ray scatter detectors satisfies the equation: P = W s ⋅ V M ⋅ U, where W s is a lateral extent of the plurality of focus points, U is a distance from the y-axis to a top surface of the examination area along the line parallel to the x-axis, the top surface opposite the support with respect to the x-axis, and V is a distance from the top surface to the line at the coordinate X = L along the line parallel to the x-axis, where the top surface of the examination area is defined closer to the coherent x-ray scatter detectors than the support such that values of U are greater than values of V, characterised in that W s is less than a lateral extent of the detector array.