Objective: To investigate the characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in brain,and changes in brain metabolites proton MR Spectroscopy(1H-MRS) of neonate with hyperbilirubinemia,and the relationship between those changes and common diagnostic parameters of brain injury. Methods: Thirty-six children with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia(serum bilirubin >290 -滋mol/L)were inspected by MRI and MRS,serum SB100B were also detected,and neonatal behaviral neurological assessment(NBNA)were scored at day 7 after birth. The incidence of brain injury based on single parameter was calculated. Results:Conventional MRI showed symmetrical high signal of TWI in globus pallidus of 12 patients,of which Multi-voxel 1H-MRS revealed that the relative concentrations of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were much lower than the others,but there was no significant difference in the relative concentrations of Cho/NAA. The incidences of brain damage dignozed by a single parameter were as follows:clinic diagnosis 22.2%,MRI 33.3%,MRS 41.7%,NBNA 38.9%,S100B 36.11%,respectively. Conclusion:Combination of MRI and MRS,will be more helpful for early diagnosis of brain damage due to hyperbilirubinemia and provides reliable clinical evidence for early intervention.