Blood Count Health Article

Definition

One of the most commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests, a blood count, also called a complete blood count (CBC), is a basic evaluation of the cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) suspended in the liquid part of the blood (plasma). It involves determining the numbers, concentrations, and conditions of the different types of blood cells.

Purpose

The CBC is a useful screening and diagnostic test that is often done as part of a routine physical examination. It can provide valuable information about the blood and blood-forming tissues (especially the bone marrow), as well as other body systems. Abnormal results can indicate the presence of a variety of conditions—including anemias, leukemias, and infections—sometimes before the patient experiences symptoms of the disease.

Description

A complete blood count is actually a series of tests in which the numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a given volume of blood are counted. The CBC also measures the hemoglobin content and the packed cell volume (hematocrit) of the red blood cells, assesses the size and shape of the red blood cells, and determines the types and percentages of white blood cells. Components of the complete blood count (hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cells, platelets, etc.) can also be tested separately, and are sometimes done that way when a doctor wants to monitor a specific condition, such as the white cell count of a patient diagnosed with leukemia, or the hemoglobin of a patient who has recently received a blood transfusion. Because of its value, though, as an indicator of a person's overall health, the CBC package is most frequently ordered.

The blood count is performed relatively inexpensively and quickly. Most laboratories routinely use some type of automated equipment to dilute the blood, sample a measured volume of the diluted suspension, and count the cells in that volume. In addition to counting actual numbers of red cells, white cells, and platelets, the automated cell counters also measure the hemoglobin and calculate the hematocrit and the red blood cell indices (measures of the size and hemoglobin content of the red blood cells). Technologists then examine a stained blood smear under the microscope to identify any abnormalities in the appearance of the red blood cells and to report the types and percentages of white blood cells observed.

The red blood cell (RBC) count determines the total number of red cells (erythrocytes) in a sample of blood. The red cells, the most numerous of the cellular elements, carry oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues. Hemoglobin (Hgb) is the protein-iron compound in the red blood cells that enables them to transport oxygen. Its concentration corresponds closely to the RBC count. Also closely tied to the RBC and hemoglobin values is the hematocrit (Hct), which measures the percentage of red blood cells in the total blood volume. The hematocrit (expressed as percentage points) is normally about three times the hemoglobin concentration (reported as grams per deciliter).

Red blood cell indices provide information about the size and hemoglobin content of the red cells. They are useful in differentiating types of anemias. The indices include four measurements that are calculated using the RBC count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit results. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is a measurement of the average size of the red blood cells and indicates whether that is small, large or normal. The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is an indication of the variation in RBC size. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) measures the average amount (weight) of hemoglobin within a red blood cell. A similar measurement, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), expresses the average concentration of hemoglobin in the red blood cells.

The white blood cell (WBC) count determines the total number of white cells (leukocytes) in the blood sample. Fewer in number than the red cells, WBCs are the body's primary means of fighting infection. There are five main types of white cells (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils), each of which plays a different role in responding to the presence of foreign organisms in the body. A differential white cell count is done by staining a smear of the patient's blood with a Wright's stain, allowing the different types of white cells to be clearly seen under the microscope. A technologist then counts a minimum of 100 WBCs and reports each type of white cell as a percentage of the total white blood cells counted.

The platelet count is an actual count of the number of platelets (thrombocytes) in a given volume of blood. Platelets, the smallest of the cellular elements of blood, are involved in blood clotting. Because platelets can clump together, the automated counting method is subject to a certain level of error and may not be accurate enough for low platelet counts. For this reason, very low platelet levels are often counted manually.