Bilirubin (mg/dL) to Micromoles per litre Converter

How it is calculated

The conversion is one multiplication in one direction, from mg/dL to µmol/L: µmol/L = mg/dL × 17.104. The input is the bilirubin concentration in mg/dL and the output is shown with two decimals. To go the other way, from µmol/L back to mg/dL, divide by 17.104 yourself, since the tool only converts forwards. The factor is fixed and does not depend on the type of bilirubin, so the same number is used for total, direct or indirect bilirubin as long as you enter the matching value. The tool does not judge whether a value is normal and does not reject zero or negative entries, so check what you typed. Laboratories set their own reference ranges, and they differ between labs and ages.

Common mistakes

• Using the converter backwards. The tool takes mg/dL only; typing a µmol/L value such as 20 gives 342 µmol/L, which is not a conversion of anything.
• Mixing up bilirubin with other analytes. Creatinine and glucose use different factors, so this one cannot be reused for them.
• Comparing a total bilirubin value with a direct bilirubin reference range after conversion. Convert each fraction separately and compare like with like.
• Rounding the factor to 17 or 17.1 by hand and then comparing with a lab's printed value. A small difference in the second decimal is just rounding, not a different result.
• Applying adult reference ranges to newborn results. The unit conversion is the same, but the meaning of the number is not, and a clinician has to read it.