FBC

Alternative names, keywords

Full blood count, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, nucleated red blood cells, white cell count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, platelets.

Samples required

EDTA blood (purple cap/ black cap ring, 4 mL tube). Smaller tubes are available for paediatric samples.

Please send separate sample if requesting with Biochemistry EDTA tests (e.g. HbA₁c)

Erroneous results can arise from aged samples (elevated mean cell volume), and contaminated samples (from drip lines).

Test indications

General first line screen depending on clinical presentation, covering a wide range of conditions including pre- and post-operatively, and investigation of anaemia.

Reference range

	Hb g/L	RBC x 10¹²/L	HCT L/L	MCV fL	MCH pg	MCHC g/L
up to 2 weeks	149 - 237	3.7 - 6.5	0.470 - 0.750	100 - 135	32.0 - 39.0	*
2 weeks - up to 1 month	134 - 198	3.9 - 5.9	0.410 - 0.650	88 - 110	30.6 - 36.6	*
1 month - up to 2 months	107 - 171	3.3 - 5.3	0.330 - 0.550	91 - 112	29.0 - 36.0	*
2 months - up to 4 months	94 - 130	3.1 - 4.3	0.280 - 0.420	84 - 98	27.0 - 33.8	*
4 months - up to 6 months	103 - 141	3.5 - 5.1	0.320 - 0.440	76 - 97	25.0 - 32.2	*
6 months - up to 1 year	100 - 130	3.8 - 4.9	0.300 - 0.380	73 - 84	24.0 - 29.6	*
1 year - up to 2 years	101 - 130	3.9 - 5.1	0.300 - 0.380	70 - 82	24.0 - 29.6	*
2 years - up to 6 years	110 - 138	3.9 - 5.0	0.320 - 0.400	72 - 87	25.5 - 30.1	*
6 years - up to 12 years	111 - 147	3.9 - 5.2	0.320 - 0.430	76 - 90	25.4 - 31.7	*
adult female	115 - 165	3.8 - 4.8	0.35 - 0.47	83 - 101	27 - 32	310 - 360
adult male	135 - 180	4.5 - 5.5	0.40 - 0.54	83 - 101	27 - 32	310 - 360

*_{No data available}

Nucleated red cells: < 0.1 x10⁹/L

	WBC x10⁹/L	neutrophils x10⁹/L	lymphocytes x10⁹/L	monocytes x10⁹/L	eosinophils x10⁹/L	basophils x10⁹/L
up to 2 weeks	10 - 26	2.7 - 14.4	2.0 - 7.3	0.0 - 1.9	0.00 - 0.85	0.0 - 0.1
2 weeks - up to 2 months	6 - 21	1.5 - 5.4	2.8 - 9.1	0.1 - 1.7	0.00 - 0.85	0.0 - 0.1
2 months - up to 6 months	5 - 15	0.7 - 4.8	3.3 - 10.3	0.4 - 1.2	0.05 - 0.90	0.02 - 0.13
6 months - up to 1 year	6 - 17	1.0 - 6.0	3.3 - 11.5	0.2 - 1.3	0.10 - 1.10	0.02 - 0.2
1 year - up to 2 years	6 - 16	1.0 - 8.0	3.4 - 10.5	0.2 - 0.9	0.05 - 0.90	0.02 - 0.13
2 years - up to 6 years	6 - 17	1.5 - 8.5	1.8 - 8.4	0.15 - 1.3	0.05 - 1.10	0.02 - 0.12
6 years - up to 12 years	4.5 - 14.5	1.5 - 8.0	1.5 - 5.0	0.15 - 1.3	0.05 - 1.00	0.02 - 0.12
adult	4.0 - 10.0	2.0 - 7.0	1.0 - 3.0	0.2 - 1.0	0 - 0.5	0 - 0.1

Platelets

	Platelet count x10⁹/L
up to 2 weeks	150 - 450
2 weeks - up to 2 months	170 - 500
2 months - up to 6 months	210 - 650
6 months - up to 1 year	210 - 560
1 year - up to 2 years	200 - 550
2 years - up to 6 years	210 - 490
6 years - up to 12 years	170 - 450
adult	150 - 410

Erroneous results can arise from partially clotted samples, and in vitro anticoagulant effects.

_{Source of FBC reference ranges:}

_{Adults: Dacie and Lewis "Practical Haematology"(11th edition) - verified in house.}

_{Paediatric: Arceci, Hann and Smith "Paediatric Haematology" (3rd edition) - verified in house.}

See separate pages for reticulocytes and ESR.

Turnaround time

1 working day (2 hours if identified as urgent).

Enquiries

Haematology

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