Definition:
The complete blood count (CBC) screening test has many applications, and it can help identify a wide variety of diseases. It is used to measure red blood cell and white blood cell count, total amount of hemoglobin in the blood, hematocrit (the amount of blood composed of red blood cells) and mean corpuscular volume (the size of red blood cells). Results can help detect problems such as dehydration or loss of blood, abnormalities in blood cell production and life span, as well as acute or chronic infection, allergies, and problems with clotting.
Source:
Complete Blood Count Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. National Institutes of Health. October 2008.
Also Known As: CBC test
