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Newborn Jaundice

Newborn Jaundice Overview

Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and the white part (the sclera) of the eyes. It results from having too much of a substance called bilirubin in the blood.

Bilirubin is formed when the body breaks down old red blood cells. The liver usually processes and removes the bilirubin from the blood.

Jaundice in babies usually occurs because their immature livers are not efficient at removing bilirubin from the bloodstream.



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Newborn Jaundice

MRI Introduction

History of MRI

Working independently, Felix Bloch of Stanford University and Edward Purcell of Harvard University made the first successful nuclear magnetic resonance experiment to study chemical compounds in 1946. Dr Bloch and Dr Purcell were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1952. In the early 1980s, the first "human" magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners became available, producing images of the inside of the body. Current MRI scanners produce highly detailed 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional images of the human anatomy.

Introduction

  • An MRI is similar to a computerized topography (CT) scanner in that it produces cross-sectional images of the body. Looking at images of the body in cross section can be compared to looking at the inside of a loaf of bread by slicing it. Unlike a CT scan, MRI does not use x-rays. Instead, it uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce...

Read the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) article »



Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Jaundice, Neonatal »

Jaundice is the most common condition that requires medical attention in newborns.

Read More on eMedicine »

Medical Dictionary