Manual Complete Blood Count

Question 1

What is hemoglobin?

Answer 1

The part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen

Question 2

How do you perform a hemoglobin test?

Answer 2

• Place a wet sample on a piece of filter paper and fold it in half
• Compare color of blood to the samples on the Tallquist Scale
• Record in g/dL

Question 3

What is the correction factor?

Answer 3

Take the average of the 2 chambers and multiply by 10,000 to arrive at the number of RBC’s per cubic mm of blood

Question 4

What does the MCV, MCH and MCHC of an individual RBC indicate?

Answer 4

• The size and hemoglobin content inside

- MCV values reflect the size, MCH and MCHC reflect hemoglobin concentration

Question 5

How do you determine the average volume of the individual erythrocyte (MCV)?

Answer 5

PCV x 10/RBC Count = MCV

Question 6

How do you determine the amount of hemoglobin by weight in the average erythrocyte (MCH)?

Answer 6

Hemoglobin x 10/RBC Count = MCH

Question 7

How do you determine the amount of concentration of hemoglobin in the average erythrocyte (MCHC)?

Answer 7

Hemoglobin x 100/PCV = MCHC

Question 8

What is anemia?

Answer 8

The decreased ability of the red blood cells to provide adequate oxygen supplies to the body’s tissues

Question 9

What may anemia be caused by?

Answer 9

Decreased number of red blood cells, decreased volume of red blood cells, or decreased amount of hemoglobin in red blood cells

Question 10

How are anemias classified?

Answer 10

On the basis of cell size (MCV) and the amount of hemoglobin (MCH)

Question 11

What is normocytic?

Answer 11

MCV within normal range

Question 12

What is microcytic?

Answer 12

MCV with less than lower limit of normal

Question 13

What is macrocytic?

Answer 13

MCV greater than upper limit of normal

Question 14

What is normochromic?

Answer 14

MCH within normal range

Question 15

What is hypochromic?

Answer 15

MCH with less than lower limit of normal

Question 16

What is hyperchromic?

Answer 16

MCH with greater than upper limit of normal

Question 17

How can an anemia most often caused by acute blood loss be classified?

Answer 17

MCV, MCH, MCHCH normal or normocytic, normochromic anemia

Question 18

How can an anemia most often caused by iron deficiency be classified?

Answer 18

Decreased MCV, MCH and MCHC or microcytic, hypochromic anemia

Question 19

How can an anemia most often caused by Vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency?

Answer 19

• Increased MCV, variable MCH and MCHC or macrocytic anemia

- Can also be caused by too many immature RBC’s

Question 20

What is the correction factor for RBC’s diluted at a 1:200 ratio?

Answer 20

200 x 5 x 10 = 10,000 x average red blood cells