Haematological tests
Full blood count
A full blood count (FBC) includes:
- Total white blood cell (WBC) count – absolute number of WBCs in the sample
- WBC differential – breakdown of the number of each type of white cell
- Red blood cell count – absolute number of red blood cells in the sample
- Platelet count –absolute number of platelets in the sample
- Haemoglobin levels – an assessment of the degree of anaemia
Blood film
A blood film is also taken to examine the histology of blood cells. This may reveal a normocytic, normochromic anaemia with red blood cells stacked together in a ‘rouleaux’ formation, a characteristic feature in myeloma.
The normal values for haematological tests are found in Table 2. Note that normal ranges may vary slightly between laboratories, depending on the equipment and techniques used.
Table 2: Normal haematological values
| Haematological Test | Normal Ranges |
|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | Female: 115—160 g/L Male: 135—180g/L |
| Full blood count Red blood cell count White blood cell count Platelet count | 4.2 – 6.1 x 10¹²/L 5 – 10 x 109/L 150 – 400 x 109/L |
| White blood cell differential Neutrophils Lymphocytes Eosinophils Monocytes Basophils | 2.0 – 7.5 x 109/L 1.0 – 3.5 x 109/L 0.1 – 1.2 x 109/L 0.0 – 0.4 x 109/L 0.0 – 0.1 x 109/L |
| ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate) | Female: up to 20 mm/hour Male: up to 15 mm/hour |
| Plasma viscosity | 1.50 – 1.72 cP |