The Complete Blood Count test ( CBC )
Overview of the Complete Blood Count Test
The CBC or Complete blood count test may be performed under many different conditions and to assess many different symptoms or diseases. The complete blood count tests results can reflect problems with fluid volume (such as dehydration) or loss of blood. This is not a required fasting blood test.
The complete blood count testing can reveal problems with RBC production and destruction, or help diagnose infection, allergies, and problems with blood clotting.
The complete blood count provides measurements on the MCV, MCH, and MCHC which reflect the size and hemoglobin concentration of individual cells, and are useful in diagnosing different types of anemia.
The complete blood count test measures the following:
The number of red blood cells (RBCs)
The number of white blood cells (WBCs)
The total amount of hemoglobin in the blood
The fraction of the blood composed of red blood cells (hematocrit)
The complete blood count test also provides information about the following measurements:
Average red blood cell size (MCV)
Hemoglobin amount per red blood cell (MCH)
The complete blood count test measures the amount of hemoglobin relative to the size of the cell (hemoglobin concentration) per red blood cell (MCHC)
Within the complete blood count, the platelet count is a laboratory test that also usually is included in the complete blood count tests
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