The present invention relates to a system for three-dimensional (3-D) acoustic imaging of a scattering structure using information from a two-dimensional (2-D) image. The system uses a characterized sensor array to emit a signal from the sensor array into an object of interest to generate at least one 2-D representation of the object of interest. The 2-D representation comprises a plurality of x and y coordinate pairs and at least one candidate scattering structure. The candidate scattering structure comprises a shape defined by at least one pair of x and y coordinates. The candidate scattering structure shape is restricted to at least one pair of x and y coordinates. The pair of x and y coordinates of the candidate scattering structure shape are then compared with a first coordinate-dependent response function to assign an x, y, and z position of a scattering structure in 3-D space.