complete blood count

count (kount) a numerical computation or indication.

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Addis count  determining the number of erythrocytes, leukocytes, epithelial cells, casts, and protein content in an aliquot of a 12-hour urine specimen.

blood count , blood cell count determining the number of formed elements in a cubic millimeter of blood; it may be a complete blood count or it may measure just one of the formed elements.

complete blood count  a series of tests of the peripheral blood, including the hematocrit, the amount of hemoglobin, and counts of each type of formed element.

differential leukocyte count  a count on a stained blood smear of the proportion of different types of leukocytes (or other cells), expressed in percentages.

platelet count  determination of the total number of platelets per cubic millimeter of blood; the direct platelet c. simply counts the cells using a microscope, and the indirect platelet c. determines the ratio of platelets to erythrocytes on a peripheral blood smear and computes the number of platelets from the erythrocyte count.

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complete blood count

n. Abbr. CBC

A combination of totals from the red blood cell count, white blood cell count, erythrocyte indices, hematocrit, and differential blood count. Also called blood profile.

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Complete blood count (CBC)

A routine analysis performed on a sample of blood taken from the patient's vein with a needle and vacuum tube. The measurements taken in a CBC include a white blood cell count, a red blood cell count, the red cell distribution width, the hematocrit (ratio of the volume of the red blood cells to the blood volume), and the amount of hemoglobin (the blood protein that carries oxygen). CBCs are a routine blood test used for many medical reasons, not only for AIDS patients. They can help the doctor determine if a patient is in advanced stages of the disease.

Mentioned in: AIDS Tests, Heart Transplantation

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complete blood count (CBC),

a determination of the number of red and white blood cells per cubic millimeter of blood. A CBC is one of the most routinely performed tests in a clinical laboratory and one of the most valuable screening and diagnostic techniques. Most laboratories use an electronic counter for reporting numbers of red and white blood cells and platelets. Examining a stained slide of blood yields useful information about red cell morphologic characteristics and types of white blood cells (WBCs). The normal red blood cell (RBC) count in adult males is 4.7 to 6.1 million/mm³. In adult females the normal RBC is 4.2 to 5.4 million/mm³. Each type of white blood cell can be represented as a percentage of the total number of white cells observed. This is called a differential count. The normal adult WBC count is 5000 to 10,000/cm³. Electronic blood counters also automatically determine hemoglobin or hematocrit and include this value in the CBC. See also differential white blood cell count, erythrocyte, hematocrit, hemoglobin, leukocyte.

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complete blood count,

n See count, blood, complete.

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complete blood count

See CBC.