Which bilirubin measurement technique can cause elevated results due to light absorption by blood components?

The technique that can cause elevated bilirubin results due to light absorption by blood components is direct spectrophotometry. This method involves measuring the absorption of light at specific wavelengths to determine the concentration of bilirubin in a sample. When using direct spectrophotometry, the presence of various blood components, such as hemoglobin and other chromophores, can interfere with the absorption readings. These components can absorb light, leading to a skewed measurement resulting in artificially elevated bilirubin levels.

In contrast, ultraviolet spectroscopy is generally used for broader spectral analysis, whereas colorimetric assays are designed to minimize interferences by using specific reagents that react with bilirubin to produce a measurable color change. Fluorescence spectroscopy typically provides higher sensitivity and specificity, making it less prone to interference from other blood components. Thus, direct spectrophotometry is particularly susceptible to these interferences, resulting in overestimation of bilirubin concentration in the presence of other light-absorbing substances.