This method relies on using a photon counting x-ray detector which can provide spectral information In conjunction with a conventional x-ray tube and coded aperture masks setup (one an object mask which will create multiple single spatlally coherent beams and the other a detector mask. The arrangement of coded aperture setup Is described in (UK Patent GB 2441578 A; Olivo and Speller). There is extensive research ongoing to extract phase images and differential phase Images using interferometric methods or using coded aperture methods. These methods are currently challenged by the need to have multlple measurements Involving movement of the x-ray optic (grating or mask) to retrieve with quantitative accuracy the x-ray absorption, phase and differential phase changes in the object. Using a spectral detector in conjunction with a coded-aperture mask set up, intensity measurements are obtained for at least two energies can be used to simultaneously retrieve absorption (giving map of effective atomic number), phase (giving map of object electron density) and differential phase (giving edge information). The intensity measurements using the coded aperture set up has contribution from object attenuation and differential phase changes (for a 10 mask, the differential phase will be in the direction of the coded aperture mask length) in the tissue (two unknowns) and these can be separated using a number of standard numerical or analytical methods when data is obtained at two or more energy bins. We also claim that a two-dimensional mask can be used to make measurements and this can yield differential phase information in two directions In a single step. Simply using the spectral detectors will enable single step retrieval methods/solutions and avoid the need for moving any of the components in the imaging set up. This will be a huge benefit in translating this approach to tomography to yield 30 map of differential phase contrast along with absorption and phase image. One of the added advantages would be the potential lower dose imaging in comparison to existing methods. This single-step approach has applications in soft tissue imaging like breast imaging and prostate imaging. The method is also envisioned to have applications in materials science and studies where electron density map and edge information of thick objects is required. This method will have applications in all phase retrieval methods using x-rays or other electromagnetic radiation. Other applications can be Jn x-ray imaging of luggage in baggage claims and detection of explosives using x-ray imaging. The method can also have applications in small animal Imaging and x-ray phase-contrast microscopy.