A method of extracting information from the backscattered field produced in parallel beam x-ray computed tomography (CT) is presented. A calculational model to predict the backscattered field based on Compton scattering is described, and the model is verified by measurements of simple phantoms. The phantoms tested--cylinders of polymethylmethacrylate (PMM) with air gaps and aluminium rods placed internally--are irradiated on a scanning assembly, built to simulate a first generation CT scanner with a transmission and a scatter detector (the SCAT-CAT). Data from the transmission detector are reconstructed by traditional CT methods to provide a transmission image; it is the data from the backscatter detector which are analysed in this study. After verification of the model for the scattered field calculations, a method of extracting information from the scattered field is developed, based on ratios of scatter signals from non-uniform to uniform phantoms. This method is demonstrated for predicted data of a simulated phantom and for measured data of the same and two additional phantoms. The method is very sensitive to air gaps in the phantoms because of the relative electron density of air with respect to PMM; it is not as sensitive to aluminium rods for the same reason. Various methods of applying the scattered field information to produce an image representing a simulated phantom are considered, and a preferred method is chosen to reconstruct scattered field data into an image for the three phantoms studied.