We present comprehensive calculations of the contribution of RSCVn bin
aries to the diffuse X-ray background. We consider luminosity distribu
tion functions derived from both optically selected volume-limited and
X-ray selected flux-limited samples, use the Bahcall-Soneira galaxy m
odel to describe the spatial distribution of stars in the Galaxy, and
take into account anisotropic absorption by the interstellar medium. O
ur principal results are that RSCVn binaries provide approximately 16%
to the observed low-latitude background at intermediate X-ray energie
s (1-2 keV), while in the 2-6 keV band their contribution to the total
background amounts to approximately 6%, which however represents a ap
proximately 27% contribution to the galactic ridge excess emission. Th
is additional stellar component thus helps to fill up the absorption d
ip in the extragalactic background produced by absorption in the Galax
y and to isotropise the total M band background. However, our models o
f RSCVn systems are unable to account for the iron line observed in th
e galactic ridge.