The clinical usefulness of a Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer was studied in a group of 188 newborns from the Salvador's Hospital. A total of 357 measurements were performed and the results were compared with the serum bilirubin concentrations obtained simultaneously through a Moshida Bilirubinometer. According to clinical chacateristics and treatment schedules, the newborns weic divided in 5 different groups. The results showed a significant correlation between both methods in all of them, but in only 2 groups they were sufficiently high (r .79 and .91). At the present time routine clinical use'of the transcutaneous bilirubinomctcr is not advisable according to this study. de Pediatn'a Vol. 54 N° 2