Theoretical descriptions of contrast formation in X-ray topography are largely based on the dynamical theory of diffraction. This framework is helpful in the description of many aspects of topographic image formation: entrance of an X-ray wavefield into a crystal, propagation of the wavefield inside the crystal, interaction of wavefield with crystal defects, altering of wavefield propagation by local lattice strains, diffraction, multiple scattering, absorption.
The theory is therefore often helpful in the interpretation of topographic images of crystal defects. The exact nature of a defect often cannot be deduced directly from the observed image (i.e., a "backwards calculation" is problematic). Instead, one has to make assumptions about the structure of the defect, deduce a hypothetical image from the assumed structure ("forward calculation", based on theory), and compare with the experimental image. If the match between both is not good enough, the assumptions have to be varied until sufficient correspondence is reached. Theoretical calculations, and in particular numerical simulations by computer based on this theory, are thus a valuable tool for the interpretation of topographic images.