An x-ray apparatus comprises an x-ray source and an x-ray detector and there between a member that is configured to perturb x-ray photons incident thereon. The apparatus further comprises a first database of values representative of material type and material thicknesses, a second database of scatter radiation values indicative of material type and/or material thicknesses, a processor configured to perform an algorithm which compares the output signal of the x-ray detector with values in the first database and to output a most likely material and/or thickness from the first database; selects from the second database the scatter radiation associated with the material type and/or material thickness; and removes the scatter radiation from an output signal of the x-ray detector.