An optical detection method and system are provided. Sample light is delivered into an anatomical structure having a target voxel, whereby a portion of the sample light passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as signal light, and another portion of the sample light not passing through the target voxel is scattered by the anatomical structure as background light that is combined with the signal light to create a sample light pattern. The sample light pattern and the reference light having an M number of different phases are concurrently combined to respectively generate an M number of interference light patterns. The M number of interference light patterns are detected. M pluralities of values representative of spatial components of the respective M number of interference light patterns are generated, and a physiologically-dependent optical parameter of the target voxel is determined based on the M pluralities of values.
