If the illuminated area selected by the aperture covers many differently oriented crystallites, their diffraction patterns superimpose forming an image of concentric rings. The ring diffractogram is typical for polycrystalline samples, powders or nanoparticles. Diameter of each ring corresponds to interplanar distance of a plane system present in the sample. Instead of information about individual grains or the sample orientation, this diffractogram provides more of a statistical information for instance about overall crystallinity or  texture. Textured materials are characteristic by a non-uniform intensity distribution along the ring circumference despite crystallinity sufficient for generating smooth rings. Ring diffractograms can be also used to discriminate between nanocrystalline and amorphous phases.
Not all the features depicted in the diffraction image are necessarily wanted. The transmitted beam is often too strong and needs to be shadowed with a beam-stopper in order to protect the camera. The beam-stopper typically shadows part of the useful information as well. Towards the rings center, the background intensity also gradually increases lowering the contrast of diffraction rings. Modern analytical software allows to minimize such unwanted image features and together with other functionalities improves the image readability it helps with image interpretation.