The gold standard in hematology is the complete blood count (CBC) test, which is used to measure the number and types of cells in a person's blood. The CBC test is a common blood test that determines the number of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets present in a given sample of blood. The CBC test is used to diagnose many different conditions, including anemia, infections, and certain cancers. It is also used to monitor the progress of treatments for those conditions.
Components of a CBC Test
The components of a CBC test include the hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet count, and white blood cell count.
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
Hematocrit is the percentage of red blood cells in a given sample of blood.
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is the average volume of a red blood cell.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) is the average amount of hemoglobin in a red blood cell.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) is the average concentration of hemoglobin in a red blood cell.
Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) is a measure of the variation in size of red blood cells.
Platelet Count is the number of platelets present in a given sample of blood.
White Blood Cell Count is the number of white blood cells present in a given sample of blood.
Uses of a CBC Test
The CBC test is used to diagnose many different conditions, including anemia, infections, and certain cancers. It is also used to monitor the progress of treatments for those conditions. Additionally, the CBC test can provide important information about a patient's health, such as the levels of red and white blood cells, platelets, and other important blood components.
