The complete blood count CBC is a blood test used to screen your overall health and to look for many different illnesses, including anemia, infections, and leukemia.
The test extracts a large amount of information from the blood sample you've given, including:. The number of white blood cells WBCs. There are 5 types of WBCs. All play a role in fighting infection. High numbers of WBCs may mean you have an infection or inflammation somewhere in your body. Low numbers of WBCs may mean you are at risk for infections. The number of red blood cells RBCs. RBCs carry oxygen throughout the body and remove excess carbon dioxide.
Too few RBCs may be a sign of anemia or other diseases. In rare cases, too many RBCs may cause problems with blood flow. How the size of your red blood cells varies. For instance, you'll probably have greater differences in red blood cell size if you have anemia.
Hematocrit HCT. This means the portion of red blood cells in a certain amount of whole blood. A low hematocrit may be a sign of too much bleeding. Or it might mean that you have iron deficiency or other disorders. A higher than normal hematocrit can be caused by dehydration or other disorders. Hemoglobin Hgb, Hb.
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Abnormalities can be a sign of problems ranging from anemia to lung disease. The average size of your red blood cells. This test is known as mean corpuscular volume MCV.
