1. An improvement in a method for quantitative modulated fluorescence imaging to perform depth sectioned fluorescence and reflectance imaging in a turbid medium comprising exposing the turbid medium to a periodic pattern of illumination characterized by a spatial frequency, receiving the data image from the turbid medium, selecting a region of interest of the turbid medium, transforming the data image of the selected region of interest of the turbid medium, spatially filtering the transformed data image of the selected region of interest of the turbid medium; and reconstructing the filtered transformed data image of the selected region of interest of the turbid medium, the improvement comprising: encoding the periodic pattern of illumination with a fluorescent excitation wavelength when exposing the turbid medium to the periodic pattern to provide depth-resolved discrimination of fluorescent structures within the turbid medium; and reconstructing a non-contact three dimensional image of fluorescence within a turbid medium, whereby wide field imaging, separation of the average background optical properties from the heterogeneity components from a single image, separation of superficial fluorescent features from deep fluorescent features based on selection of spatial frequency of illumination, or qualitative and quantitative structure, function and composition information is extracted from spatially encoded data.