An arrangement for x-rays, in particular hard x-rays, for obtaining quantitative x-ray images from a sample, comprising: a) an X-ray source, preferably a standard polychromatic X-ray source; b) one phase-shifting periodic structure; c) a position-sensitive detector having a number of individual pixels thereby being enabled to provide sufficient spatial resolution to resolve the interference pattern generated by the phase-shifting structure; d) means for recording the images of the detector; e) means for evaluating the intensities in a single shot image in order to obtain the characteristics of the sample including absorption, differential phase contrast and directional (small-angle) scattering contrast, preferably for specified regions of pixels; and f) optionally an absorption grating in front of, or embedded into the X-ray source; characterized in that the phase-shift periodic structure is: i) a 2D periodic structure composed of unit cells, said unit cells are circular gratings; the period of the unit cells is P and that of the circular gratings is p, wherein the periodic structures in the circular grating generate an X-ray phase shift difference, which is preferably of π/2 or odd multiples thereof, hereinafter referred to as π/2 shift; or π or π+N×2×π, hereinafter referred to as π shift, where N is an integer number; or ii) a honeycomb structure composed of unit cells, each unit cell is a circular grating which allows the maximum filling factor of such periodic structure; the periodic structures in the circular grating generate an X-ray phase shift difference, which is preferably of π/2 or odd multiples thereof, hereinafter referred to as π/2 shift; or π or π+N×2×π, hereinafter referred to as π shift, where N is an integer number. a) an X-ray source, preferably a standard polychromatic X-ray source; b) one phase-shifting periodic structure; c) a position-sensitive detector having a number of individual pixels thereby being enabled to provide sufficient spatial resolution to resolve the interference pattern generated by the phase-shifting structure; d) means for recording the images of the detector; e) means for evaluating the intensities in a single shot image in order to obtain the characteristics of the sample including absorption, differential phase contrast and directional (small-angle) scattering contrast, preferably for specified regions of pixels; and f) optionally an absorption grating in front of, or embedded into the X-ray source; i) a 2D periodic structure composed of unit cells, said unit cells are circular gratings; the period of the unit cells is P and that of the circular gratings is p, wherein the periodic structures in the circular grating generate an X-ray phase shift difference, which is preferably of π/2 or odd multiples thereof, hereinafter referred to as π/2 shift; or π or π+N×2×π, hereinafter referred to as π shift, where N is an integer number; or ii) a honeycomb structure composed of unit cells, each unit cell is a circular grating which allows the maximum filling factor of such periodic structure; the periodic structures in the circular grating generate an X-ray phase shift difference, which is preferably of π/2 or odd multiples thereof, hereinafter referred to as π/2 shift; or π or π+N×2×π, hereinafter referred to as π shift, where N is an integer number.