What does cbc mean

White blood cell count. A white blood cell count, also called a leukocyte count, measures the total number of white blood cells in a sample of blood. These cells protect the body from infection by attacking invading bacteria, viruses, and other foreign materials in the body. Some white blood cells can also attack cancer cells. White blood cell differential. A white blood cell differential measures the number of each type of white blood cell.

There are 5 major types of white blood cells, and each type plays a different role in protecting the body. Your doctor can learn valuable information about your health by measuring the levels of these cells:. Red blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body.

A red blood cell count, also called an erythrocyte count, measures the number of red blood cells in a sample of blood. There are several ways to measure red blood cells. Two of the most common are:. Platelet count. A platelet count measures the number of platelets in a sample of blood. Platelets help to stop bleeding by forming blood clots. The amounts of each of these types of cells have a normal range. Your health care team will note this range on your CBC lab results. A range is used instead of a specific number because a normal amount is different for each person.

Your health care team must carefully read CBC test results. Keep in mind that many factors, including noncancerous conditions, can lead to results that fall out of the normal range. Ask your doctor to help you understand what your results mean. Low white blood cell count. Or, it could indicate that you have an immune system disorder or a bone marrow disease. A high white blood cell count can also be a reaction to medication.

For specifics about what your complete blood count results mean if they fall outside the normal ranges, talk to your doctor. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview A complete blood count CBC is a blood test used to evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia.

A complete blood count test measures several components and features of your blood, including: Red blood cells, which carry oxygen White blood cells, which fight infection Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells Hematocrit, the proportion of red blood cells to the fluid component, or plasma, in your blood Platelets, which help with blood clotting.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Complete blood count. Lab Tests Online. Accessed Aug. CBC with differential, blood. The WBC count can also increase in patients with leukemia, a cancer of the blood.

Thus, doctors use the WBC count to help determine if a patient has an infection or leukemia. When the WBC count is increased, the type of WBC can help differentiate between a bacterial infection, viral infection or leukemia. Doctors also use the WBC count to monitor various types of illness, since it may decrease in response to therapy during recovery from an illness. When performing a differential, a medical technologist looks at the various cells under a microscope.

A differential provides information about the relative numbers that is, the percentage of each type of WBC. Such information helps the doctor determine whether an illness is caused by a bacteria, a virus, or leukemia. A differential can be used to monitor patients with allergies and to determine how a patient is recovering from an illness or responding to therapy. These cells include promyelocytes, metamyelocytes, blasts, etc.

Presence of any of these cells indicates a need for follow-up with your doctor. Finally, the differential can provide information about the appearance of RBCs, since the cells are visualized under a microscope. The appearance of RBCs helps differentiate the various types of anemia.

Platelets are the smallest blood cells. They are an important part of blood clotting. These small cells clump together and form a sticky mass that helps the blood to clot.

Blood clots help your body handle injury by stopping or preventing bleeding. Blood clots can also cause problems, however, when they occur within the blood vessels or the heart; such clots cause a blockage known as thrombosis. MPV is a measurement of the average size of the platelets. A higher MPV roughly indicates better platelet function. Thus, the MPV can sometimes be helpful in telling apart different disorders.

A decreased number of platelets thrombocytopenia is associated with bleeding. Some causes include certain rare inherited disorders, leukemia, autoimmune disorders e. A falsely low platelet count, which is not associated with bleeding, can be caused by a rare error in blood sample collection: instead of staying in a liquid form, the sample clots becomes solid , thus using up the platelets. An increased platelet count is less common and is associated with clotting disorders such as thrombocythemia.

Platelet counts can also be increased in some cancers and following infections or other medical conditions. Many over-the-counter medications contain aspirin, which may be listed as acetylsalicylic acid, salicylate, or 2- acetyloxy benzoic acid.