Abstract
A study was undertaken to determine whether the serum bilirubin level could be estimated by the light reflectance of skin. The reflectance of skin over the abdomen was measured at five wavelengths (λ = 629, 556, 511, 465, 424), and compared with reflectance of a white standard. A formula was derived which related measurements of skin reflectance with serum bilirubin level. Thirty Black and 14 Caucasian term infants were then prospectively studied with simultaneous spectral reflectance and serum bilirubin levels. All infants were less than one week of age, and none had received phototherapy. Serum bilirubin levels ranged from 1 mg/dl to 12 mg/dl and correlated with spectral reflectance estimates with a coefficient of 0.94. Agreement was within 2 mg/dl in all cases. Measurement of spectral reflectance of skin is an accurate and non-invasive screening method for estimation of serum bilirubin.
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Peevy, K., Mumford, L., Bruce, R. et al. 1009 ESTIMATION OF SERUM BILIRUBIN BY SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE OF THE SKIN. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 532 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01015
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01015
