AbstractDiffraction by a well ordered striated muscle fibre is discussed using both rigorous numerical methods and approximate analytic formulae. It is shown that many previous predictions can be reproduced in a simple manner using ideas developed in the area of volume holography. Concepts such as optical ‘thickness’ and ‘thinness’ can be used to decide the diffraction regime of the muscle (Bragg/Thick, Intermediate, or Raman‐Nath/Thin). Appropriate approximate models can then be derived to predict the resulting diffraction efficiencies and phases. Coherent images, produced using the scatter function formalism, are presented for three types of mus