A Complete Blood Count (CBC) is a common blood test that provides important information about a person's overall health and the composition of their blood. It measures various components of the blood, including:
1. Red Blood Cells (RBCs): These cells carry oxygen throughout the body. The CBC measures the number of RBCs, their size (mean corpuscular volume or MCV), and the amount of hemoglobin (Hb) within them.
2. White Blood Cells (WBCs): These cells are part of the immune system and help fight infections. The CBC provides the total number of WBCs and may also differentiate between different types of WBCs, such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils.
3. Platelets: Platelets play a vital role in blood clotting. The CBC measures the number of platelets present in the blood.
4. Hemoglobin (Hb): Hemoglobin is a protein within the red blood cells that carries oxygen. The CBC measures the amount of hemoglobin present, which helps assess the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
5. Hematocrit (Hct): The hematocrit is the proportion of the blood volume occupied by red blood cells.
6. Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): This measures the average size of red blood cells and helps in the diagnosis of various types of anemia.
The CBC is a valuable diagnostic tool and is used to assess overall health, detect various blood disorders, monitor the effectiveness of treatments, and aid in the diagnosis of various medical conditions such as anemia, infections, leukemia, and bleeding disorders.
Interpretation of CBC results should be done by a qualified healthcare professional who takes into account the patient's medical history, symptoms, and other diagnostic tests, if necessary.
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