Understanding Your Blood with CBC Test

A complete blood count (better known as a CBC) is a blood test request by a doctor that provides detailed information about various types of cells in a patient's blood. Usually a pathologist or a technician conducts the test and provides the results of CBC to the requesting doctor. The blood is drawn from the patient's vein using a syringe and is stored in a test tube containing an anticoagulant (usually EDTA or citrate) to prevent clotting and transported to laboratory.  Nowadays, most often, the cell counting process is done in an automated way using an instrument known as an automated analyzer. The automatic cell counter counts the number of different cells in the blood and the results are printed out for review by the physician. Choose a location to see hospital-reported price summaries. This page does not show national, sample, or aggregate pricing.