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. <EOS>