An X-ray detector for sampling an incident X-ray fringe pattern in phase contrast and/or dark-field X-ray imaging, comprising: a structured scintillator layer comprising a plurality of slabs (26 1,...,26 N) arranged to sample the incident fringe pattern and convert it into a plurality of optical slab signals; an optical detector layer in optical communication with the structured scintillator layer comprising a plurality of sub-pixels (30 1,...,30 N), wherein each sub-pixel is aligned with a respective slab of the structured scintillator layer to detect a respective optical slab signal emitted from the respective slab of the structured scintillator layer; and a signal combination arrangement arranged to electronically read-out signals representing the fringe pattern from the plurality of sub-pixels; wherein the sub-pixels further comprise a plurality of optical detection cells configured to provide a plurality of detection signals based on the presence of related optical slab signals; said X-ray detector being characterized in that the signal combination arrangement is configured to enable the acquisition of phase contrast and/or dark field X-ray images at a first and second detection direction without adjusting the position of the X-ray detector, by generating at least first and second output signals as combinations of the detection signals of the optical detection cells of the optical detector layer, wherein the at least first and second output signals are each proportional to a spatial signal amplitude due to the incident X-ray fringe pattern received on a respective slab of the structured scintillator layer, and wherein a pixel signal of the X-ray detector comprises at least first and second output signals acquired from at least two adjacent sub-pixels at a fringe sampling resolution defined by a width of the slabs. a structured scintillator layer comprising a plurality of slabs (26 1,...,26 N) arranged to sample the incident fringe pattern and convert it into a plurality of optical slab signals; an optical detector layer in optical communication with the structured scintillator layer comprising a plurality of sub-pixels (30 1,...,30 N), wherein each sub-pixel is aligned with a respective slab of the structured scintillator layer to detect a respective optical slab signal emitted from the respective slab of the structured scintillator layer; and a signal combination arrangement arranged to electronically read-out signals representing the fringe pattern from the plurality of sub-pixels; wherein the sub-pixels further comprise a plurality of optical detection cells configured to provide a plurality of detection signals based on the presence of related optical slab signals; said X-ray detector being characterized in that the signal combination arrangement is configured to enable the acquisition of phase contrast and/or dark field X-ray images at a first and second detection direction without adjusting the position of the X-ray detector, by generating at least first and second output signals as combinations of the detection signals of the optical detection cells of the optical detector layer, wherein the at least first and second output signals are each proportional to a spatial signal amplitude due to the incident X-ray fringe pattern received on a respective slab of the structured scintillator layer, and wherein a pixel signal of the X-ray detector comprises at least first and second output signals acquired from at least two adjacent sub-pixels at a fringe sampling resolution defined by a width of the slabs.