Complete Blood Count Test Parameters
A CBC test includes several parameters. Individually they may look confusing, but when seen together they give useful information about your health and body condition.
Red Blood Cell Related Parameters
- Haemoglobin (Hb): Shows how well your blood carries oxygen. Low haemoglobin is a common reason for tiredness, weakness, and breathlessness, especially during daily activities.
- Haematocrit (HCT): Measures how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells. Abnormal values may be linked with anemia or dehydration in some cases.
- Red Blood Cell Count (RBC): Indicates the total number of red blood cells present. Too low or too high count can point towards blood-related problems in body.
- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): Shows the average size of red blood cells and helps doctors understand the type of anemia a person may have.
- Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH): Measures the amount of haemoglobin in each red blood cell.
- Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC): Indicates how concentrated haemoglobin is inside red blood cells.
- Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW-CV): Shows variation in red blood cell size, often helpful in diagnosing certain blood disorders over period of time.
Platelet Parameters
- Platelet Count: Platelets help in blood clotting. Low count may cause bleeding issues, while high count can increase clotting risk sometimes.
- Mean Platelet Volume (MPV): Gives an idea about the size and activity of platelets in the blood.
White Blood Cell Parameters
- Total Leucocyte Count (TLC): Shows the total number of white blood cells, which usually increase during infections.
- Differential Leucocyte Count: Breaks WBCs into types:
- Neutrophils: Usually increase during bacterial infections
- Lymphocytes: Commonly increase in viral infections
- Eosinophils: Seen in allergies or parasitic infections
- Monocytes: Increase in long-standing infections
- Basophils: Related to allergy and inflammation
- Absolute Leucocyte Count: Gives the exact count of each white blood cell type:
- Absolute neutrophils
- Absolute lymphocytes
- Absolute eosinophils
- Absolute monocytes
- Absolute basophils
Clear reporting of these parameters is important, which is why Dr. B. Lal Clinical Lab in PHULERA follows strict quality and reporting standards for routine blood tests.