INTERPRETATION OF FULL

BLOOD COUNT

CLEMENT AWUAH

03/06/2021 1
 Key points/purpose

 Provide an overview of the use of the FBC

 Discuss aspects of reduced and elevated

results of some parameters in FBC

 Relate a few blood pictures to the FBC run

03/06/2021 2
 Introduction 1/3

 FBC is probably the

commonest test done
(“full blood count”-
how much of each
type of cell).

03/06/2021 3
 Introduction 2/3

03/06/2021 4
 Introduction 3/3

03/06/2021 5
 WHY FBC????

 To review your overall health. 

 To diagnose a medical condition.

 To monitor a medical condition.

 To monitor medical treatment. 

03/06/2021 6
 Results Components 1/4

03/06/2021 7
 Results Components 2/4

 WBC = White Blood Cells

 LYM = Lymphocyte
 MID = WBC not classified as LYM or GRA
 GRA = Granulocytes (neutrophil, basophil
,eosinophil)
 LYM% = (Lymphocyte)%
 MID % = Medicalese (WBC not classified as LYM
or GRA)%
 GRA% = (Granulocytes)%
03/06/2021 8
 Results Components 3/4

 RBC = Red Blood Cells

 HGB = Haemoglobin
 HCT = Haematocrit
 MCV = Mean Cell Volume
 MCH = Mean Cell Hemoglobin
 MCHC = Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration
 RDW = Red Cell Distribution Width

03/06/2021 9
 Results Components 4/4
 PLT = Platelet
 P_LCC = Macro platelet count
 P_LCR = Macro platelet percentage
 PCT = Platelet percentage
 MPV = Mean platelet volume
 PDWcv = Platelet Distribution Width

03/06/2021 10
 Neutrophils – Low

Most common causes

 Viral
 Autoimmune/Idiopathic
 Drugs
Red flags
 Person Particularly Unwell
 Severity
 Rate of change of Neutropenia
 Lymphadenopathy, Hepatosplenomegaly

03/06/2021 11
 Neutrophils – High
Most common causes
 Infection/Inflammation
 Necrosis/Malignancy
 Any Stress or Heavy Exercise
 Drugs
 Pregnancy
 CML (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia)

Red Flags
 Person particularly unwell
 Severity
03/06/2021 12
 Lymphocytes
Lymphocyte – Low
 Not usually clinically significant
 Could indicate hypo proliferative BM or suppression

Lymphocyte – High
Isolated elevated count not usually significant
 Acute Infection (Viral, Bacterial)
 Smoking
 Hyposplenism
 Acute Stress Response
 Autoimmune Thyroiditis
 CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia)
03/06/2021 13
 Monocytes
Monocytes – Low
 Not clinically significant

Monocytes – High
 Chronic infection
 An autoimmune or blood disorder
 Cancer
 Viral Infection
 Tuberculosis

03/06/2021 14
 Eosinophil
Eosinophil – Low
 No real cause for concern

Eosinophil – High
 Allergy: Asthma
 Parasites

Rarer causes
 Hodgkins Disease
 Myeloproliferative Disorders
 Churg-strauss Syndrome

03/06/2021 15
 Basophils
Basophils – Low
 Difficult to demonstrate

Basophils – High
 Myeloproliferative disorders
 Allergies: food allergies, drug allergies, allergic
rhinitis
 Infections: chickenpox, tuberculosis

03/06/2021 16
 Platelets – Low
Most common causes
 Viral Infection
 Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
 Liver Disease
 Drugs
 Hypersplenism
 Autoimmune Disease
 Pregnancy

Red Flags
 Bruising
 Petechiae
 Signs of bleeding
03/06/2021 17
 Platelets – High
 Reactive conditions eg. infection, inflammation

 Pregnancy

 Severe Iron deficiency

 Post splenectomy

03/06/2021 18
 Red Blood Cells
 ‘What is the size of RBC’ ?
 MCV indicates the Red cell volume (size)
 Both the MCH & MCHC tell Hb content of RBC.

03/06/2021 19
 The Three Basic Measures
A. RBC count

B. Hemoglobin

C. Haematocrit

Check whether this holds good in given results

 A x 3 = ((B) x 3) = C (This is the rule of thumb)

03/06/2021 20
 High haemoglobin
 Hb is often accompanied by PCV

 Can reflect decreased plasma volume (eg:

dehydration, alcohol, cigarette smoking,
diuretics) or

 Increased red cell mass (eg. polycythaemia)

03/06/2021 21
 MCV

03/06/2021 22
 Classification of Anaemia

Using MCV to classify the anaemia

 Microcytic, MCV < 80 fl
 Normocytic, MCV 80 – 100 fl
 Macrocytic, MCV > 100 fl

Using MCH to classify the anaemia

 •Hypochromic, MCH < 27 pg
 •Normochromic, MCH 27-34 pg
 •Hyperchromic, MCH > 34 pg

03/06/2021 23
 What is your take?

03/06/2021 24
03/06/2021 25