SKIN OPTICS AND PHOTOTHERAPY OF JAUNDICE

The Kubelka-Munk theory of radiation transfer is applied to determine the influence of skin optical losses on the efficiency of phototherapy of jaundice. Using a multi-layer model of the skin the photo absorption rate of bilirubin molecules is calculated for spectrally Gaussian light sources and fluorescent lamps used in phototherapy. Light absorption and scattering processes in the skin layers shift the optimum value of the peak excitation wavelength from .lambda. .simeq. 453 nm (absorption maximum of bilirubin in vitro) to .lambda. .simeq. 480 nm. This suggests the clinical investigation of narrow-spectrum lamps emitting in the blue-green region of the spectrum.