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Medical Author:

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Dr. Nabili received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. He then completed his graduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His graduate training included a specialized fellowship in public health where his research focused on environmental health and health-care delivery and management.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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The complete blood count measures many important values pertaining to the blood cells. The complete blood count interpretation is done by doctors by looking at these important components.

The complete blood count generally includes the following components:

• White blood cell count (WBC or Leukocyte count)
  
  
• WBC differential count
  
  
• Red blood cell count (RBC or erythrocyte count)
  
  
• Hematocrit (Hct)
  
  
• Hemoglobin (Hbg)
  
  
• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
  
  
• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)
  
  
• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
  
  
• Red cell distribution width (RDW)
  
  
• Platelet count
  
  
• Mean platelet volume (MPV)

The main components are the blood cells such as white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. The other components represent additional information about these cells including their size, color, function, and maturity.

The white blood cell (WBC) differential refers to number of the different types of white blood cells are that typically seen in the blood. The WBC differential cells (different types of WBCs that have specific functions) routinely reported in a complete blood count are neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils, eosinophils, and monocytes.

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See the Entire Complete Blood Count (CBC) Topic Guide »