nih-gov/medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/index.html
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

608 lines
35 KiB
HTML
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters

This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" id="lab_test" class="nojs us" data-root="https://medlineplus.gov/">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" />
<meta http-equiv="window-target" content="_top" />
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/pruebas-de-laboratorio/conteo-sanguineo-completo/" />
<meta name="ac-dictionary" content="medlineplus-ac-dictionary" />
<meta name="description" content="A complete blood count measures the number and type of cells in your blood. It may be done as part of a routine exam or to monitor or diagnose health conditions." />
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" />
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/touch-icon.png" />
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="1042245625821448" />
<meta property="og:title" content="Complete Blood Count (CBC): MedlinePlus Medical Test" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/LabTests_Share.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/LabTest_Share2.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/LabTests_Share3.jpg" />
<meta property="og:description" content="A complete blood count measures the number and type of cells in your blood. It may be done as part of a routine exam or to monitor or diagnose health conditions." />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:site" content="@medlineplus" />
<meta name="twitter:creator" content="@medlineplus" />
<meta name="twitter:title" content="Complete Blood Count (CBC): MedlinePlus Medical Test" />
<meta name="twitter:description" content="A complete blood count measures the number and type of cells in your blood. It may be done as part of a routine exam or to monitor or diagnose health conditions." />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/LabTests_Share.jpg" />
<meta name="twitter:image:alt" content=""/>
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="" />
<title>Complete Blood Count (CBC): MedlinePlus Medical Test</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/common_new.css?1738957206131" />
<!--[if IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ie8/common.css"> <![endif]-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/css/uswds_styles.css" />
<script type="text/javascript">document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className = document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className.replace( /(?:^|\s)nojs(?!\S)/g , '').trim();</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds-init.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':
new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src=
'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);
})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MMVM77');</script>
</head>
<body>
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MMVM77"
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden" title="googletagmanager"></iframe></noscript>
<a name="top" id="top"></a>
<a class="hide-offscreen" href="#start">Skip navigation</a>
<section
class="usa-banner"
aria-label="Official website of the United States government"
>
<div class="usa-accordion">
<header class="usa-banner__header">
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
<div class="grid-col-auto">
<img
aria-hidden="true"
class="usa-banner__header-flag"
src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/us_flag_small.png"
alt=""
/>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true">
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">
An official website of the United States government
</p>
<p class="usa-banner__header-action">Heres how you know</p>
</div>
<button
type="button"
class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button"
aria-expanded="false"
aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default"
>
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Heres how you know</span>
</button>
</div>
</header>
<div
class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content"
id="gov-banner-default-default"
>
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img
class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img"
src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-dot-gov.svg"
role="img"
alt=""
aria-hidden="true"
/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br />A
<strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img
class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img"
src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-https.svg"
role="img"
alt=""
aria-hidden="true"
/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br />A
<strong>lock</strong> (
<span class="icon-lock"
><svg
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
width="52"
height="64"
viewBox="0 0 52 64"
class="usa-banner__lock-image"
role="img"
aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default"
focusable="false"
>
<title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title>
<desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc>
<path
fill="#000000"
fill-rule="evenodd"
d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z"
/>
</svg> </span
>) or <strong>https://</strong> means youve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<div id="mplus-wrap">
<header>
<div id="mplus-header">
<div id="mplus-orgs">
<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" class="nih-org" target="_blank" title="National Institutes of Health">
<img class="nihlogo" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nihlogo.png" alt="National Institutes of Health"/>
</a><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/" target="_blank"> National Library of Medicine</a>
</div>
<div id="mplus-logo" class="years-25">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/">
<img alt="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" title="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_25.png"/>
</a>
</div>
<div id="mplus-nav">
<div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div>
<button id="sm-menu-btn" class="navmenu-btn" title="Menu" role="button" aria-controls="mplus-menu-list" type="submit">Menu<span class="icon icon-nav-menu"></span></button>
<ul id="mplus-menu-list" class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs & Supplements</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
</ul><button id="sm-search-btn" class="navmenu-btn" title="Search" role="button" aria-controls="mplus-search" type="submit"><span class="hide-offscreen"></span>Search<span class="icon icon-nav-search"></span></button>
<div class="top-1">
<form id="mplus-search" method="get" action="https://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta" title="Search MedlinePlus" target="_self">
<input type="hidden" name="v:project" value="medlineplus"/>
<input type="hidden" name="v:sources" value="medlineplus-bundle"/>
<div class="form-box text-combo">
<div class="form-area"><label class="hide-offscreen" for="searchtext_primary">Search MedlinePlus</label>
<input id="searchtext_primary" class="form-text" type="text" placeholder="Search MedlinePlus" alt="#Site Search input" title="Site Search input" maxlength="400" size="40" name="query" autocomplete="off" role="textbox" aria-autocomplete="list" aria-haspopup="true"/>
</div>
<div class="button-area">
<button class="form-btn" title="Search MedlinePlus" alt="Search MedlinePlus" type="submit">GO</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
<div class="secondarynav">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/"><span>About MedlinePlus</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html"><span>Site Map</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=https%3A//medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" target="_blank"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div id="mplus-nav-bar">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs & Supplements</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<a id="mplus-lang-toggle" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/pruebas-de-laboratorio/conteo-sanguineo-completo/" title="Español">Español</a>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<div id="mplus-content">
<div id="breadcrumbs">
<div itemprop="breadcrumb" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList">
<span class="hide-offscreen">You Are Here:</span>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="1"/>
</div>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Medical Tests</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="2"/>
</div>
<div>
<span>Complete Blood Count (CBC)</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/</span>
<div >
<article>
<div class="page-info">
<div class="page-title">
<a name="start" id="start"></a>
<h1>Complete Blood Count (CBC)</h1>
</div>
<div class="page-actions"></div>
<noscript><span class="js-disabled-message">To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript.</span></noscript>
</div>
<div class="main">
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>What is a Complete Blood Count?</h2>
<p>A complete blood count, or CBC, is a group of blood tests that measure the number and size of the different cells in your blood. A CBC measures:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a data-pid="33148" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/red-blood-cell-rbc-count/">Red blood cells</a></strong>, which carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.</li>
<li><strong><a data-pid="24325" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/white-blood-count-wbc/">White blood cells</a></strong>, which fight infections and other diseases. There are five major types of white blood cells. A CBC test measures the total number of white cells in your blood. A different test called a <strong><a data-pid="726" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/blood-differential/">CBC with differential</a></strong> measures the number of each type of these white blood cells.</li>
<li><strong><a data-pid="27381" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/platelet-tests/">Platelets</a></strong>, which stop bleeding by helping your blood to clot.</li>
<li><strong><a data-pid="734" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-test/">Hemoglobin</a></strong>, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.</li>
<li><strong><a data-pid="678" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hematocrit-test/">Hematocrit</a></strong>, the amount of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells.</li>
<li><strong><a data-pid="660" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/mcv-mean-corpuscular-volume/">Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)</a></strong>, the average size of your red blood cells.</li>
</ul>
<p>Other names for a complete blood count: CBC, full blood count, blood cell count</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>What is it used for?</h2>
<p>A complete blood count is often part of a <a data-tid="4751" href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthcheckup.html">routine checkup</a>. It is also used to monitor a condition or treatment that may affect your blood cell counts such as infections, <a data-tid="139" href="https://medlineplus.gov/anemia.html">anemia</a>, <a data-tid="295" href="https://medlineplus.gov/immunesystemanddisorders.html">immune system disorders</a>, and blood cancers.</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>Why do I need a complete blood count?</h2>
<p>Your health care provider may have ordered a complete blood count as part of your checkup or to monitor your overall health. The test may also be used to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Help diagnose <a data-tid="3646" href="https://medlineplus.gov/blooddisorders.html">blood diseases</a>, infections, immune system disorders, or other medical conditions</li>
<li>Check for changes in an existing blood disorder</li>
</ul></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>What happens during a complete blood count?</h2>
<p>A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?</h2>
<p>Usually, no special preparation is necessary for a complete blood count. But if your provider ordered other tests on your blood sample, you may need to <a data-pid="858" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/fasting-for-a-blood-test/">fast</a> (not eat or drink) for several hours before the test. Your provider will let you know if there are any special instructions.</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>Are there any risks to the test?</h2>
<p>There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may experience slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle went in, but most symptoms go away quickly.</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>What do the results mean?</h2>
<p>A CBC counts the cells in your blood. There are many reasons your levels <strong>may not be in the normal range</strong>. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Abnormal levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, or hematocrit may be a sign of <a data-tid="6051" href="https://medlineplus.gov/dehydration.html">dehydration</a>, anemia, <a data-tid="277" href="https://medlineplus.gov/heartdiseases.html">heart disease</a>, or too little <a data-tid="5542" href="https://medlineplus.gov/iron.html">iron</a> in your body.</li>
<li>A low white cell count may be a sign of an <a data-tid="154" href="https://medlineplus.gov/autoimmunediseases.html">autoimmune disorder</a>, <a data-tid="171" href="https://medlineplus.gov/bonemarrowdiseases.html">bone marrow disorder</a>, or <a data-tid="25" href="https://medlineplus.gov/cancer.html">cancer</a>.</li>
<li>A high white cell count may be a sign of an infection or a <a data-tid="5603" href="https://medlineplus.gov/drugreactions.html">reaction to a medicine</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>If any of your levels are abnormal, it doesn't always mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Diet, activity level, medicines, having a <a data-tid="325" href="https://medlineplus.gov/menstruation.html">menstrual period</a>, not drinking enough water, and other factors can affect the results. Talk with your provider to learn what your results mean.</p>
<p>Learn more about <a data-pid="806" href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/how-to-understand-your-lab-results/">laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results</a>.
</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-content"><h2>Is there anything else I need to know about a complete blood count?</h2>
<p>A complete blood count is only one tool your provider uses to learn about your health. Your provider will consider your medical history, symptoms, and other factors to make a diagnosis. You may also need additional tests.</p></div>
</section>
<section><div class="mp-refs mp-content"><h2>References</h2>
<ol>
<li>Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics &amp; Testing [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2024. Blood Tests; [reviewed 2022 Dec 06; cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 16 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/24508-blood-tests" target="bibliowin">https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/24508-blood-tests</a></li>
<li>Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics &amp; Testing [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2024. Complete Blood Count (CBC); [reviewed 2024 Mar 14; cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 14 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4053-complete-blood-count" target="bibliowin">https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4053-complete-blood-count</a></li>
<li>El Brihi J, Pathak S. Normal and Abnormal Complete Blood Count With Differential. [Updated 2024 Jun 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-[cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 6 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK604207/" target="bibliowin">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK604207/</a></li>
<li>Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998-2024. Complete Blood Count (CBC); [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 6 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complete-blood-count/about/pac-20384919" target="bibliowin">https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complete-blood-count/about/pac-20384919</a></li>
<li>Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck &amp; Co., Inc.; c2024. Complete Blood Count (CBC); [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/multimedia/lab-tests/complete-blood-count" target="bibliowin">https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/multimedia/lab-tests/complete-blood-count</a></li>
<li>Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck &amp; Co., Inc.; c2024. Tables: Complete Blood Count (CBC); [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/multimedia/table/complete-blood-count-cbc" target="bibliowin">https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/multimedia/table/complete-blood-count-cbc</a></li>
<li>National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: complete blood count [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/complete-blood-count" target="bibliowin">https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/complete-blood-count</a></li>
<li>National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: hematocrit [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/hematocrit" target="bibliowin">https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/hematocrit</a></li>
<li>National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Types of Blood Tests; [ cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 6 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests" target="bibliowin">https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests</a></li>
<li>National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Your Guide to Anemia; 2021 Sep [cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 37 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NHLBI_OSPEEC_YourGuidetoAnemia_Booklet_RELEASE_508.pdf" target="bibliowin">https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NHLBI_OSPEEC_YourGuidetoAnemia_Booklet_RELEASE_508.pdf</a></li>
<li>Nemours KidsHealth [Internet]. Jacksonville (FL): The Nemours Foundation; c1995-2024. Getting a Blood Test; [reviewed 2021 Sep; cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/blood-tests.html" target="bibliowin">https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/blood-tests.html</a></li>
<li>Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA).: OneCare Media; c2024. CBC Blood Test (Complete Blood Count); [modified 2022 Sep 28; cited 2024 Jul 17]; [about 12 screens]. Available from: <a href="https://www.testing.com/tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" target="bibliowin">https://www.testing.com/tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/</a></li>
</ol></div>
</section>
</div>
<div class="side">
<aside>
<section><div class="side-section">
<div class="section-header">
<h2>Related Health Topics</h2>
</div>
<div class="section-body">
<ul class="relatedmp">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/anemia.html">Anemia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bleedingdisorders.html">Bleeding Disorders</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bloodcounttests.html">Blood Count Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/blooddisorders.html">Blood Disorders</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></section>
<section><div class="side-section">
<div class="section-header">
<h2>Related Medical Tests</h2>
</div>
<div class="section-body">
<ul class="relatedmp">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/blood-differential/">Blood Differential</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hematocrit-test/">Hematocrit Test</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-test/">Hemoglobin Test</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/how-to-cope-with-medical-test-anxiety/">How to Cope with Medical Test Anxiety</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/how-to-understand-your-lab-results/">How to Understand Your Lab Results</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/mcv-mean-corpuscular-volume/">MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/platelet-tests/">Platelet Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/pneumococcal-disease-tests/">Pneumococcal Disease Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/red-blood-cell-rbc-count/">Red Blood Cell (RBC) Count</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/red-blood-cell-rbc-indices/">Red Blood Cell (RBC) Indices</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/what-you-need-to-know-about-blood-testing/">What You Need to Know About Blood Testing</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/white-blood-count-wbc/">White Blood Count (WBC)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></section>
</aside>
</div>
<div class="bottom">
<section><div class="lt-disclaimer">
<p>The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.</p>
</div>
</section>
</div>
</article>
</div>
<div id="citation-how-to">
<button><span>Learn how to cite this page</span></button>
</div>
</div>
<footer>
<div id="mplus-footer">
<div class="footer1">
<ul class="secondarynav">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=https%3A//medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" target="_blank"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="follow-footer">
<li>
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html" class="follow-item">Subscribe to RSS<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/feed.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="RSS" title="RSS"></a>
</li>
<li>
<span class="follow-label">Follow us</span>
<a href="https://twitter.com/medlineplus" class="follow-item" target="_blank">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_twitter.png" class="follow-icon" alt="X" title="X">
</a>
<a href="https://facebook.com/Mplus.gov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_fb.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mplusgov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram">
</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/social-media-toolkit/" class="social-media-toolkit-item">Social Media Toolkit<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_social_media_toolkit.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="Social Media Toolkit" title="Social Media Toolkit"></a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="footer2">
<ul>
<li><a href=" https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html" target='_blank'>NLM Web Policies</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/" >Copyright</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/">Guidelines for Links</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/plugins.html">Viewers & Players</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" target="_blank">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/">MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/">For Developers</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="address">
<a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a>
<span>8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894</span>
<a href="https://www.hhs.gov" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>
<a href="https://www.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>
</div>
<div class="date">
<span id="lastupdate">Last updated October 15, 2024</span>
</div>
<div class="return-top"><a href="#top" title="Return to top"><img class="return-top-icon" alt="Return to top" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/return-top.png"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery-3.6.0.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-frontend-controls-new.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-share.js?id=1112022" type="text/javascript"></script>
<!--[if lte IE 9]><script src="//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/jslib/jquery.placeholder.js" type="text/javascript"></script><![endif]-->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/control.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type='application/ld+json'>{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "MedicalWebPage",
"headline": "Complete Blood Count (CBC)",
"description": "A complete blood count, or CBC, is a group of blood tests that measure the number and size of the different cells in your blood. A CBC measures: Red blood cells, which carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.; White blood cells, which fight infections and other diseases. There are five major types of white blood cells. A CBC test measures the total number of white cells in your blood. A different test called a CBC with differential measures the number of each type of these white blood cells.; Platelets, which stop bleeding by helping your blood to clot.; Hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.; Hematocrit, the amount of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells.; Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), the average size of your red blood cells.; Other names for a complete blood count: CBC, full blood count, blood cell count",
"url": "https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/",
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"legalName": "National Library of Medicine",
"url": "https://www.nlm.nih.gov",
"brand": {
"@type": "Brand",
"name": "MedlinePlus",
"description": "MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).",
"url": "https://medlineplus.gov",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_primary.png"
}
},
"parentOrganization": {
"@type": "Organization",
"legalName": "National Institutes of Health",
"url": "https://www.nih.gov"
}
}
}</script>
</body>
</html>