Energy modulated luminescence tomography

An energy modulated tomographic imaging method, comprising:

• using an external energy source, activating a plurality of functionalized nanoparticles within a region of interest, wherein the activated nanoparticles emit photons at a background rate when not further stimulated by an underlying tissue and at one or both of a different rate or energy when further stimulated by action potentials or field potentials associated with the underlying tissue;
• detecting the photons emitted by the plurality of functionalized nanoparticles;
• and
• generating one or more of a multi-dimensional image, a time-domain activity representation, or a representation of temporal relationship between the detected photons and biological features based upon the photons emitted at the different rate or energy.

An X-ray modulated tomographic method, comprising:

• directing an X-ray beam that is one or both of focused or micro-modulated at a tissue-of-interest labeled with functionalized nanophosphors to activate the functionalized nanophosphors to emit at a background luminescence when not further stimulated;
• detecting photons emitted by the functionalized nanophosphors when further stimulated by action potentials or local field potentials associated with the labeled tissue of interest;
• and
• generating one or more of a multi-dimensional image, a time-domain activity representation, or a representation of temporal relationship between the detected photons and biological features based upon the detected photons.