Complete Blood Count (CBC) Test

Complete Blood Test (CBC Test) Overview

A complete blood count test (CBC) is a group of blood tests done to evaluate and measure the cells that circulate in the blood. The test measures three main types of blood cells: Red blood cells, White blood cells, & Platelets.

A Complete Blood Count (CBC) test is important in detecting any underlying health issues or infections in the body. Moreover, the CBC test charges may vary depending on the location.

When is a CBC Test prescribed?

A doctor may advise a CBC test to analyze overall health or to detect various disorders like Anemia, infections, allergies, inflammatory diseases & many more. 

• Routine Check-ups- The CBC blood test is prescribed to examine the overall health status.

• Chronic Condition Monitoring- A Doctor would recommend undergoing this to monitor chronic conditions.

Components of the CBC Test

RBC count:

Measures the actual number of red blood cells in blood.

Lower RBC indices

• Anemia

• Hemorrhage

• Bone marrow disorders

• Chronic Kidney Disease

• Chronic inflammatory diseases

• Pregnancy

Higher RBC indices

• Cardiovascular disease

• Dehydration

• Lung disorders

• Polycythemia Vera

• Kidney tumors

White blood cells

The fight against infection in the body & an essential part of the body’s defence mechanism. The CBC test measures the total number of white cells in the blood. The CBC with differential identifies and counts the number of the five types of white blood cells present.

• Neutrophils

• Lymphocytes

• Basophils

• Eosinophils

• Monocytes

These values can help in diagnosing bacterial, parasitic, viral, allergic infections, or cancer.

Platelets

Tiny cell fragments circulating in the blood are vital for normal blood clotting

• Hemoglobin: A Protein pigment present in the blood which carries oxygen. A low Hb is indicative of anemia.

• Hematocrit: Describes physical characteristics of RBCs in the blood.

Other components of a CBT test include the following, all of which indicate varying health conditions.

• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)

• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

• Red cell distribution width (RDW)

• Reticulocyte count

• Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)

• Platelet distribution width (PDW)

Procedure and Prerequisite

As a part of CBC blood test proceedure, the clinician would collect the blood sample from your body and send it for the further test.

Reference range1

The values are only for theoretical reference. The content of this post is to provide general information related to topics relevant to blood diagnostics, and it can vary depending on altitude.