Transillumination is 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 of the body may be seen more easily. A bright light is then pointed at a location on the body, typically the head, scrotum, chest of a premature or newborn infant, or breast of an adult female.
Transillumination is also sometimes used to find blood vessels.
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.
Review Date: 11/14/2007
Reviewed By: Deirdre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Neonatology, Tests
