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Infant brain test
Infant brain test

Transillumination
Definition:
The shining of a light through a body cavity or organ.

How the test is performed:
The room lights are dimmed or turned off so that the appropriate part may be seen more easily. A bright light is then pointed at a cavity or organ, typically the head, scrotum, or chest in the premature or newborn infant or the breast in an adult female.
How to prepare for the test:
No preparation is necessary for this test.
How the test will feel:
There is no discomfort associated with this test.
Why the test is performed:
This test is most commonly performed on newborns or infants with hydrocephalus, or males suspected of having a hydrocele. The test may also be performed on breast tissue to detect lesions and/or cysts. In newborns, a bright halogen light may be used to transilluminate the chest cavity if it is suspected they have a pneumothorax. Transillumination through the chest is only possible on small newborns. Diagnosis of pneumothorax is always confirmed by chest X-ray. In general, transillumination is not a particularly good test for any of these disorders, and further tests, such as an X-ray or ultrasound, are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Normal Values:
Normal findings depend on the area being evaluated, and the normal tissue of that region.
What abnormal results mean:

Areas filled with air or fluid that is not native to that location have increased light transmission and transilluminate when they should not. For example, in a darkened room, a newborn infant's head can be seen to light up brightly when transilluminated if there is excess fluid present (suggesting hydrocephalus).

Results specific to the breasts include:

  • If there is a lesion and bleeding has occurred, those internal areas will be dark to black, because blood does not transilluminate.
  • Benign tumors tend to appear red.
  • Malignant tumors are brown to black.
What the risks are:
There are no risks associated with this test.
Review Date: 5/20/2002
Reviewed By: Elizabeth Hait, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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