blood disorders
Laboratory Tests for Blood Disorders
Complete blood count
The blood test most commonly done is the complete blood count (CBC). The CBC is an evaluation of all the cellular components ( Red Blood Cells , Red blood cellparameters evaluated by CBC include Number of red blood cells (red blood cell count, RBCs) Proportion of blood made up of red blood cells (hematocrit [Hct]) Amount of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells) in the blood (hemoglobin [Hb]) Average size of red blood cells (mean cellular volume [MCV]) Variability of size of red blood cells (red cell distribution width [RDW]) Amount of hemoglobin in an individual red blood cell (mean cellular hemoglobin [MCH]) Concentration of hemoglobin in an individual red blood cell (mean cellular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC]) Abnormalities in these parameters can alert laboratory workers to the presence of abnormalities in the red blood cells (which may then be further evaluated by examination under a microscope). Abnormal red blood cells may be fragmented or shaped like teardrops, crescents (sickle-shaped), or a variety of other forms. Knowing the specific shape and size of red blood cells can help a doctor diagnose a particular cause of anemia. For example, sickle-shaped cells are characteristic of Sickle Cell Disease , small cells containing insufficient amounts of hemoglobin are likely due to White blood cellparameters evaluated by the CBC include the Total number of white blood cells Percentages and numbers of the different types of white blood cells The White Blood Cells are the major component of the body's To provide more information about the white blood cells, the doctor can examine these cells under a microscope. The microscopic examination can identify features of the cells that are characteristic of certain diseases. For example, large numbers of white blood cells that have a very immature appearance (blasts) may indicate Overview of Leukemia (cancer of the white blood cells). are also counted as part of a CBC. Platelets are cells that help in the clotting process by gathering at a bleeding site and clumping together to form a plug. The number of platelets is an important measure of the blood's ability to How Blood Clots (forming blood clots is the body's protective mechanism for stopping bleeding). Too few platelets may impair blood clotting. A high number of platelets ( 