Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential/Platelets Access
The CBC test is one of the most commonly ordered tests for general health screening and analyzes many facets of the blood.
What is this test?
The CBC test measures the blood for:
- White Blood Cell count
- Platelet count
- Hemoglobin
- Hematocrit
- Red Cell Distribution Width (RCDW)
- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
- MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)
- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
- Neutrophils
- Absolute Lymphocytes
- Monocytes
- Eosinophils
- Basophils
This test is common in general wellness checkups as well as screening for many conditions. For example, it may be ordered to check for anemia, infection, inflammation, and cancer.
Who is this test for?
This test can be ordered for anyone as a general wellness checkup. The CBC panel can screen for many illnesses and provide insight into overall health. For this reason, it is often included in blood panels that test for a wide range of conditions, like hormone deficiency.
What kinds of conditions can CBC test results show?
Red blood cells carry oxygen to the organs and tissues. Low red blood cell counts can indicate anemia, a condition in which there aren’t enough red blood cells to carry sufficient oxygen throughout the body. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, body weakness, and dizziness.
Meanwhile, elevated white blood cells may indicate an infection. Low white blood cell count may also indicate a difficulty for the immune system to fight infection.
Because platelets help the blood clot to stop bleeding, low platelet counts can make someone more susceptible to prolonged bleeding. High platelet counts, meanwhile, can make someone more susceptible to blood clots.
This test also measures levels of the protein Hemoglobin. Red blood cells use hemoglobin to bring oxygen to the rest of the body and bring carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Low hemoglobin levels shown on a CBC blood test can be another sign of anemia.
Hematocrit measures the density of red blood cells in the bloodstream. A low hematocrit level can reflect problems such as anemia, leukemia, or other bloodstream disorders. Elevated hematocrit levels can be related to dehydration.