What it means
One of the most ordered lab tests. It reports the white blood cellwite blud selA blood cell that is part of the immune system and helps the body fight infection and other foreign material.Full entry count (often with a differential, which breaks it into types), red blood cellred blud selA blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.Full entry count, hemoglobinHEE-muh-gloh-binThe iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.hem/o bloodglobin proteinFull entry , hematocrithih-MAT-uh-kritA blood test that shows what share of the blood's volume is made up of red blood cells, given as a percentage.hemat/o blood-crit to separateFull entry , plateletPLAYT-litA tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.Full entry count and the size of red cells. It helps find anemia, infection, bleeding problems and the effects of drugs such as chemotherapy.
For the nurse
It is drawn in a lavender-top tube. Compare results with earlier values, and report a falling hemoglobin, a very low or high white cell count, or a low platelet count before procedures or anticoagulants.
At a glance
| Normal range | WBC 5,000–10,000/mm3 (5–10 × 10^9/L); Hgb male 14–18 g/dL (140–180 g/L), female 12–16 g/dL (120–160 g/L); Hct male 42–52%, female 37–47%; platelets 150,000–400,000/mm3 (150–400 × 10^9/L) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | hemograma completo |
| Also written | CBC, complete blood counts, complete-blood-count, full blood count, FBC |
Related terms
hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.
platelet
A tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.
white blood cell
A blood cell that is part of the immune system and helps the body fight infection and other foreign material.
hematocrit
A blood test that shows what share of the blood's volume is made up of red blood cells, given as a percentage.