[en] A scanning x-ray microscope is described including: an x-ray source capable of emitting a beam of x-rays; a collimator positioned to receive the beam of x-rays and to collimate this beam, a focusing cone means to focus the beam of x-rays, directed by the collimator, onto a focal plane, a specimen mount for supporting a specimen in the focal plane to receive the focused beam of x-rays, and x-ray beam scanning means to relatively move the specimen and the focusing cone means and collimator to scan the focused x-ray beam across the specimen. A detector is disposed adjacent the specimen to detect flourescent photons emitted by the specimen upon exposure to the focused beam of x-rays to provide an electrical output representative of this detection. Means are included for displaying and/or recording the information provided by the output from the detector, as are means for providing information to the recording and/or display means representative of the scan rate and position of the focused x-ray beam relative to the specimen whereby the recording and/or display means can correlate the information received to record and/or display quantitive and distributive information as to the quantity and distribution of elements detected in the specimen. Preferably there is provided an x-ray beam modulation means upstream, relative to the direction of emission of the xray beam, of the focusing cone means