The present invention relates to differential phase-contrast imaging, in particular to a structure of a diffraction grating, e.g. an analyzer grating and a phase grating, for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging. In order to provide enhanced phase-gradient based image data, a diffraction grating (14, 15) for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging, is provided with a first sub-area (23) comprising at least one portion (24) of a first grating structure (26) and at least one portion (28) of a second grating structure (30). The first grating structure comprises a plurality of bars (34) and gaps (36) with a first grating orientation GO1 (37), being arranged periodically, wherein the bars are arranged such that they change the phase and/or amplitude of an X-ray radiation and wherein the gaps are X-ray transparent. The second grating structure comprises a plurality of bars (40) and gaps (42) with a second grating orientation GO2 (44), being arranged periodically, wherein the bars are arranged such that they change the phase and/or amplitude of an X-ray radiation and wherein the gaps are X-ray transparent. The first grating orientation GO1 is different than the second grating orientation GO2. Thus, phase-gradient based image information can be acquired for different directions without the necessity to rotate or pivot any of the respective gratings between the acquisition steps, for example.
