Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Non-invasive Optical Measurement of Cerebral Metabolism and Hemodynamics in Infants
Published on: March 14, 2013
Comparative effects of two phototherapy delivery systems on cerebral blood flow velocity in term neonates
Cathy Hammerman1, Michael Kaplan
1Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. cathy@cc.huji.ac.il
Background:
Phototherapy is an effective and generally safe method of treating neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. However, there is some concern that it may affect cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in newborns with fragile cerebral vasculature.
Objectives:
To measure and compare the effects of two different phototherapy units, delivering similar irradiance, on CBFVs.
Methods:
Doppler flow velocities were measured in term infants under fluorescent overhead and fluorescent BiliBed phototherapy units, respectively, at baseline, 4 and 24 h of therapy.
Results:
Peak systolic CBFV increased during treatment in infants treated under overhead phototherapy (n = 18) but not in those treated in BiliBeds (n = 12).
Conclusions:
Different phototherapy delivery modalities can have differential effects on CBFV in term neonates.
