Extreme or prolonged neonatal jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia) can result in permanent neurological impairment and even death. In developing countries, risk factors that increase the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment, such as sepsis, malnutrition, and certain genetic conditions are common. Administering treatments can be simple but identification of at-risk infants through visual screening is unreliable. Infants in the US are routinely screened prior to hospital discharge using transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB), a non-invasive technique based on diffuse reflectance. In low-resource settings such as rural sub-Saharan Africa, TcB devices are not available to traditional birth attendants and doctors; however, it is increasingly common for these personnel to carry mobile phones equipped with a camera and flash. We have previously reported initial feasibility of TcB utilizing the built-in camera and flash of the mobile phone, a Monte Carlo model driven design of a snap-on optical assembly. Here, we report the experience and results from clinical studies in newborns which compare mobile-phone based measurements of TcB with corresponding serum bilirubin levels. These results will lead to a discussion of feasibility and limitations for mobile-phone based TcB.
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