1. An apparatus for x-ray imaging of a target region of an object at shallow depths comprising: (a) an x-ray source generating a cone beam at least one peak voltage in the range of from approximately 10 keV to approximately 500 keV; (b) a planar template receiving said cone beam, said template in the range of from approximately 2.5 cm to approximately 30 cm from said source, said template having a pinhole with a width and an area in the range of from approximately 0.01 mm 2 to approximately 4 mm 2 , said template passing only said x-rays impinging on said pinhole as a pencil beam; (c) means for moving said template in the plane of said template in increments of approximately one half of said pinhole width so as to scan said target region with a spatial resolution of one half of said pinhole width; and (d) a detector having a scintillator with a thickness in the range of from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3 cm, said scintillator having an opening through which said pencil beam passes to said target region, said scintillator being adapted to be located adjacent to said target region; (e) whereby, as said pencil beam scans said target region, backscatter x-rays from said target region are received by said scintillator, which are used to form images of said target region.