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Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Complete blood counts (CBCs), also called full blood counts (FBCs), are blood tests usually requested to screen for blood diseases or to confirm a diagnosis. This analysis provides information about the cell count of each blood cell type and the concentration of specific blood proteins and minerals. Hematology Analyzers are nowadays used to automatically generate the CBC of a patient's blood. The following values are typically obtained by a CBC:

  • Red blood cell count
  • Total white blood cell count
    • Basophil count
    • Neutrophil count
    • Monocyte count
    • Lymphocyte count
    • Basophil count
  • Platelet count
  • Hematocrit
  • Hemoglobin concentration
  • Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) - average volume of a single red blood cell
  • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) - average amount of hemoglobin inside a single red blood cell
  • Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) - average concentration of hemoglobin inside a single red blood cell

Depending on the value, different units are used (see example CBC report in Figure 1). Certain diseases are characterized by an increase or decrease in the number of blood cells. To facilitate interpretation of the result, references ranges are given behind every value and abnormally high and low values are specifically indicated (e.g. with an H or LeL).

Diseases that can be diagnosed with the support of CBC results include anemia (low red blood cell count), bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections (low white blood cell count), as well as leukemia (high white blood cell count), and conditions affecting platelet disorders.

This image display the Complete Blood Count (CBC) test from a control sample. It contains four columns: Test Result Units and Ref Range (Reference Range). The first row is for WBC (White Blood Cells). The result is 6.2 in units of ten to the power of nine per liter. The reference range is 4 to 11. The second row is for RBC (Red Blood Cells). The result is 5.1 in units of ten to the power of twelve per Liter. The reference range is 3.9 to 6.5. The third row is for Hb (Hemoglobin). The result is 140 in units of gram per liter. The reference range is 115 to 175. The fourth row is for HCT (Hematocrit). The result is 42 in units of percent. The reference range is 36 to 50. The fifth row is for PLT (Platelets). The result is 180 in units of ten to the power of nine per liter. The reference range is 150 to 400. The sixth row is for MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume). The result is 90 in units of fL (femtolitre). The reference range is 80 to 95. The seventh row is for MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin). The result is 32 in units of pg (pico grams). The reference range is 27 to 34. The eighth and final row is for MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration). The result is 345 in units of gram per liter. The reference range is 300 to 350. All of the results shown fall within their respective reference ranges, indicating a normal blood count for this control sample.

Figure 1: Example CBC result.

Referred from:

Article
Hemophilia
Article
Hematology Analyzer
Article
Sickle Cell Disease