Blood count

Blood Test

Blood is drawn from a vein. An anticoagulant agent (EDTA) is added to the sample. The sample is analyzed by an automatic haemocytometer to measure blood cells per volume unit.

Red blood cells (RBC)

Red blood cells carry oxygen taken in by the lungs to the entire body, and collect unnecessary carbon dioxide and transport it to the lungs. If a person has too many red blood cells, he or she is suspected of having polycythemia. If he or she has too few red blood cells, he or she is suspected of having anemia. Anemia is determined by having a hemoglobin test performed along with the red blood cell test.

Normal range: For men … 430 – 570

         For women … 380 – 500  (Unit: 104/μl [microliters])

 

Hemoglobin (Hb)

Hemoglobin takes up a large part of red blood cells. It is composed of a pigment called heme and a protein called globin. Hemoglobin in RBCs plays a critical role. It carries oxygen to tissues in the body and, on the return trip, receives carbon dioxide and transports it to the lungs to be released. It then once again binds to oxygen to carry it to the tissues. When the amount of hemoglobin is decreased, the causes may be iron-deficiency anemia or bleeding from the digestive tract or urinary tract.

 

lab standard range
(g/dl)

Checkup evaluation

normal

minor abnormality

Re-examination / lifestyle improvement required.

Detailed examination /
treatment required

A

B

C

D

M

13.5〜17.5

13.1〜16.3

16.4〜18.0

12.1~13.0

~ 12.0 OR 18.1 ~

F

11.5〜15.0

12.1〜14.5

14.6〜16.0

11.1〜12.0

~ 11.0 OR 16.1 ~

 

White blood cells (WBC)

White blood cells work to protect the body against germs, etc. If the WBC count is high, bacterial infection, inflammation, or other related diseases are suspected. However, the location where the condition is occurring is not understood. Smokers also have a high WBC count. If the WBC count is low, the suspected causes include viral infections, drugs that lower the WBC count, and aplastic anemia. There are also people with a congenitally low WBC count.

 

lab standard range
(/μl)

Checkup evaluation

normal

minor abnormality

Re-examination / lifestyle improvement required.

Detailed examination /treatment required

A

B

C

D

3,300〜9,000

3,100〜8,400

8,500~8,900

9,000〜9,900

~ 3,000 OR 10,000 ~

 

White blood cell differential (leukogram, white blood cell percentage)

Normal white blood cells are divided into five types: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Neutrophils are further divided into lobed nuclei and rod-shaped nuclei according to the shape of their nuclei. The ratio of each type of white blood cell to the total number of white blood cells is called differential white blood cell. Different types of white blood cells have different functions. Thus, different white blood cell types may increase or decrease, depending on the cause. If there is no problem with the white blood cell count, it is often not judged as abnormal even if the white blood cell fraction is slightly outside the reference range.

Reference range:

    • Neutrophils: 40.0-75.0 (%) 
      • lobed nucleocytes: 34.0-70.0 (%)
      • rod-shaped nucleocytes: 1.0-7.0 (%)
    • Eosinophils・・・0.0-8.0 (%)
    • Basophils・・・0.0-2.0 (%)
    • Monocytes・・・2.0-10.0 (%)
    • Lymphocytes・・・18.0-49.0 (%)

Platelets count (PLT)

Platelets play the role of stopping bleeding by adhering to the area from which blood is flowing out. When the amount of platelets is high, essential thrombocythemia is suspected. When the amount is low, causes include decreased production in the bone marrow (a condition called aplastic anemia), abnormal functioning of the immune system due to conditions such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and decrease in thrombopoietin, which promotes the reproduction of platelets.

 

lab standard range
(104/μl)

Checkup evaluation

normal

minor abnormality

Re-examination / lifestyle improvement required.

Detailed examination /treatment required

A

B

C

D

14.5〜34.0

14.5〜32.9

12.3〜14.4、 33.0〜39.9

10.0〜12.2

~ 9.9 OR 40.0 ~