A team of researchers at The University of Washington have developed a smartphone application that checks for jaundice in newborns and deliver results to parents and pediatricians within minutes.
Jaundice, or the yellowing of the skin, can happen when an excess amount of bilirubin collects in the blood. Bilirubin is a natural byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells, which the liver usually metabolizes. But newborns often metabolize bilirubin slower because their livers aren’t yet fully functioning. If left untreated, severe jaundice can cause brain damage and a potentially fatal condition called kernicterus.
The app, “BiliCam”, uses the smartphone’s camera, flash and a color calibration card (The card calibrates and accounts for different lighting conditions and skin tones) to determine its result, you simply need to place a color calibration card on the baby’s tummy, take a picture and then send it for analysis. The results are sent back almost instantly.
Virtually every baby gets jaundiced, and we’re sending them home from the hospital even before bilirubin levels reach their peak,” said James Taylor, a UW professor of pediatrics and medical director of the newborn nursery at UW Medical Center. “This smartphone test is really for babies in the first few days after they go home. A parent or health care provider can get an accurate picture of bilirubin to bridge the gap after leaving the hospital.
Within a year, the researchers say BiliCam could be used by doctors as an alternative to the current procedures. Patents have also been filed on the technology.
More details here.
