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Jaundice is a common and often harmless condition in neonates. However, especially preterm neonates have an increased risk for developing jaundice related brain damage, which is the reason for close monitoring of the blood bilirubin concentration (the indicator of jaundice) in these patients. The bilirubin concentration is determined from a blood sample obtained by a heel stick, often up to three times a day. Naturally, this is a very painful and harmful procedure for the child. In addition, this diagnosis creates an unwanted delay in the treatment of the patient, since it may last more than one hour.

At the AMC we investigate the possibility to measure the bilirubin concentration faster and non-invasively, by using optical spectroscopy. The absorption peak of bilirubin around 455 nm allows for spectroscopic assessment of its presence in the blood vessels of the skin. Although bilirubinometers based on this principle have been developed since 1980, no device has been found accurate enough to completely replace the heel stick1. The focus of this study is therefore 1) to investigate the reasons for the inaccuracy of current bilirubinometers and 2) to develop a bilirubinometer that can replace the painful heel stick.