A technique for spectral imaging using a two-dimensional illumination pattern having spectral dispersion in one axis. The spectral imaging method involves the use of spectrally dispersed illumination, thereby allowing the use of higher intensity source illumination than prior art spectral encoding methods, thus providing high-speed, high-resolution acquisition of spectral data from specimens that cannot tolerate high illumination intensities or that require fast imaging for avoiding motion artifacts. The technique is demonstrated by capturing spectral data cubes of a finger using short exposure durations and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
