CBC is a widely recognized medical abbreviation referring to a complete blood count, which assesses the cellular components of blood. These values are typically obtained using specialized machines that can evaluate the blood's various elements in under a minute. The key measurements typically included in a CBC are as follows:- White Blood Cell (WBC) Count: This measures the number of white blood cells in a blood sample. While normal ranges can differ slightly between labs, they generally fall between 4,300 and 10,800 cells per cubic millimeter (cmm). This count is also known as the leukocyte count and can be expressed in international units as 4.3 - 10.8 x 10^9 cells per liter.- Automated White Cell Differential: This provides a machine-generated percentage breakdown of different white blood cell types, typically categorized into granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils.- Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count: This indicates the number of red blood cells in a blood sample. Normal values vary between labs but usually range from 4.2 to 5.9 million cells per cmm, or in international units, 4.2 - 5.9 x 10^12 cells per liter.- Hemoglobin (Hb) Level: This measures the concentration of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen and giving blood its red color. Normal ranges differ between genders, with approximately 13 - 18 grams per deciliter for men and 12 - 16 for women. In international units, this is 8.1 - 11.2 millimoles per liter for men and 7.4 - 9.9 for women.- Hematocrit: This is the ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total blood volume. Normal ranges differ between sexes, approximately 45 - 52% for men and 37 - 48% for women.- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): This calculated value represents the average volume of a red blood cell, derived from the hematocrit and red cell count. The normal range is 86 - 98 femtoliters.- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH): This is the average amount of hemoglobin per red blood cell, calculated from the hemoglobin level and red cell count. The normal range is 27 - 32 picograms.- Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC): This measures the average concentration of hemoglobin in a volume of red cells, derived from the hemoglobin level and hematocrit. The normal range is 32 - 36%.- Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW): This indicates the variation in red cell size, with higher numbers suggesting greater size variability. The normal range is 11 - 15%.- Platelet Count: This measures the number of platelets in a blood sample. Platelets are fragments derived from megakaryocytes in the bone marrow and are essential for blood clotting. Normal ranges vary between labs but typically range from 150,000 to 400,000 per cmm, or in international units, 150 - 400 x 10^9 per liter.
