1. An x-ray inspection system for characterizing an object, the x-ray inspection system comprising: a source for generating an incident beam of substantially monochromatic penetrating radiation, the incident beam characterized by a propagation axis and a source energy; a plurality of detector elements disposed about the beam of penetrating radiation, each detector element generating a detector signal characterizing a detected energy of scattered radiation; a processor input adapted to receive the detector signal characterizing radiation scattered from at least one scattering point of the object illuminated by the incident beam; and a processor adapted to determine a displacement for each scattering point of the object relative to a fiducial position on the propagation axis of the incident beam on a basis of the detected energy of the scattered radiation.