Cbc blood test

Test Quick Guide The complete blood count (CBC) is an essential comprehensive blood panel that allows your doctor to evaluate each type of cell in your blood. The CBC measures the number of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets (PLT). Each of these types of blood cells performs important functions, so determining their levels can provide important health information. A CBC may be used to help diagnose a range of health conditions and also monitor how the body is affected by different diseases or medical treatments. About the Test Purpose of the test The purpose of a CBC is to give your health care provider details about the state of your health. It is an important medical tool because it uses one sample to analyze the complete spectrum of cells found in the blood as well as some of the characteristics of those cells. Because it provides information about every type of cell in the blood, the CBC can provide information related to a wide variety of medical problems. The primary uses for the CBC are diagnosis, monitoring, and screening: • Diagnosis is determining the cause of a patient’s symptoms. The CBC can identify many different abnormalities in the blood that can be linked to distinct medical problems. For this reason, the CBC is frequently used as a diagnostic test. In many cases, it can confirm or rule out certain conditions and may be used alongside other tests to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. • Monitoring is the process of following a pati...

Overview A hemoglobin test measures the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to your body's organs and tissues and transports carbon dioxide from your organs and tissues back to your lungs. If a hemoglobin test reveals that your hemoglobin level is lower than normal, it means you have a low red blood cell count (anemia). Anemia can have many different causes, including vitamin deficiencies, bleeding and chronic diseases. Why it's done You may have a hemoglobin test for several reasons: • To check your overall health. Your doctor may test your hemoglobin as part of a complete blood count during a routine medical examination to monitor your general health and to screen for a variety of disorders, such as anemia. • To diagnose a medical condition. Your doctor may suggest a hemoglobin test if you're experiencing weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath or dizziness. These signs and symptoms may point to anemia or polycythemia vera. A hemoglobin test may help diagnose these or other medical conditions. • To monitor a medical condition. If you've been diagnosed with anemia or polycythemia vera, your doctor may use a hemoglobin test to monitor your condition and guide treatment. How you prepare If your blood sample is being tested only for hemoglobin, you can eat and drink normally before the test. If your blood sample will be used for other tests, you may need to fast for a certain amount of time before the sample ...

You might hear your doctor talk about MCH levels when they explain the results of certain It's possible you'll learn about MCH when you get a blood test called a A similar measure to MCH is something doctors call "mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration" (MCHC). MCHC checks the average amount of hemoglobin in a group of red blood cells. Your doctor may use both measurements to help in a diagnosis of Getting a CBC A CBC measures the different cells that make up your blood, including your: • Red blood cells • White blood cells, which fight infection • Hemoglobin • Platelets, which help your You may have a CBC as part of your yearly To do a CBC, a nurse puts a needle into a vein in your arm. The needle attaches to a test tube, where the blood collects. A lab then analyzes the blood sample. Symptoms and Causes of Anemia Anemia can cause abnormal MCH readings on blood tests. Often a lack of iron causes anemia with a low MCH. ­Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. When you have iron deficiency anemia, you may have • Weakness • Tiredness • Pale or yellow • Trouble catching your breath • Dizziness • Fast or • • • Cold hands or An anemia with a high MCH level could also be a sign that you don't have enough Signs of low vitamin B12 include: • Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet • Trouble walking or staying balanced • Trouble thinking • Tiredness • Weakness • An anemia with a high MCH is called macrocytic anemia. When you have this condition, your red blood cells are lar...

If your health care provider is worried you might have cancer, you might need more tests to be sure. Cancer blood tests are often part of this process. Samples taken for cancer blood tests are tested in a lab for signs of cancer. When viewed under a microscope, the samples may show the actual cancer cells. Other blood tests might find proteins or other substances made by the cancer. Blood tests can also tell your provider how well your organs are working. Most blood tests aren't used on their own to diagnose cancer. But they can provide clues that may lead your health care team to make the diagnosis. For most types of cancer, a procedure to remove a sample of cells for testing is often needed to be sure. Some blood tests used to diagnose cancer include: • A test to count your blood cells. A complete blood count (CBC) measures the amount of each type of blood cell in a sample of your blood. Blood cancers may be found using this test. • A test that looks at the blood proteins. An electrophoresis blood test looks at the various proteins in your blood to find the ones made by your body's germ-fighting immune system. This test is helpful in diagnosing multiple myeloma. • Tests to find chemicals made by cancer cells. Tumor marker tests use a sample of blood to look for chemicals made by cancer cells. These tests don't always help with diagnosing cancer because many healthy cells also make these chemicals. And some conditions that aren't cancer can cause high levels of tumor mark...