Your laboratory value guide directly online

Laboratory values guide

Laboratory reports explained simply – read here to find out why doctors determine laboratory values and what your blood reveals.

Leukocytes, haemoglobin, cholesterol, erythrocytes and more: which blood values are normal and what do they say about my health? Doctors usually order blood tests as a matter of routine or when they suspect a disease. Laboratory values provide important information for medical diagnosis and help in choosing a therapy or reviewing treatment.

However, patients are often unsettled by the results of their blood tests – what is behind an elevated laboratory value and what do the various terms actually mean? Find out here what the normal values are, what a too low or too high laboratory value indicates and how to respond to each value.

What are laboratory values and what are they used for?

Around five to six litres of blood circulate in the body of an adult human being. This vital bodily fluid consists of blood plasma and solid components – the blood cells. Blood performs important tasks for our health:

• It supplies the body with oxygen and nutrients.
• It supports the immune system.
• It distributes heat evenly throughout the body.
• It ensures haemostasis and wound healing in the event of injury.

Even a small amount of blood is sufficient to examine a patient’s state of health. Laboratory values can be used to detect infections and inflammation, deficiency symptoms, and blood and bone marrow diseases.

Complete blood count? Full blood count?

You have probably heard these two terms before at the doctor’s surgery. But what is the difference between them and when does the doctor order which blood count (haemogram)?

Complete haemogram – number of cells in the blood

During routine examinations, the small blood count allows the doctor to draw conclusions about common diseases such as influenza, coagulation disorders, rare blood diseases or other serious illnesses. The small blood count is also used to monitor the progress of diseases and therapies, as well as for examinations prior to surgery.

The small blood count examines the composition of the blood and provides information on the following laboratory values:

• Number of leukocytes (white blood cells)
• Number of erythrocytes (red blood cells)
• Number of thrombocytes (blood platelets)
• Haemoglobin concentration (Hb)
• Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH)
• Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
• Haematocrit (Hct)

Complete blood count – detailed examination of leukocytes

In addition to the complete blood count, the complete blood count also includes the differential blood count. In this test, the laboratory differentiates between the white blood cells. This analysis makes it possible to investigate abnormalities in the small blood count in more detail. Leukocytes can be divided into several groups:

• neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils
• monocytes
• lymphocytes

What else do blood values tell us?

In addition to the small and large blood counts, there are other laboratory values that doctors use to examine the organs. These blood values or organ markers indicate whether the liver, kidneys and thyroid are healthy. Metabolic markers can also be used to determine the patient’s blood sugar or cholesterol levels.

How should laboratory values be interpreted?

For doctors, a blood test is a helpful tool for making an informed diagnosis. However, laboratory values alone do not provide a clear indication of a possible illness. The medical history – the conversation between the doctor and the patient – and a thorough physical examination provide further valuable information for the diagnosis.

A supposedly elevated blood value on the laboratory report does not automatically mean that you are ill and need medication. Some of the laboratory values in your blood test are also interrelated and can only be interpreted holistically. Without in-depth analysis, blood values should therefore only be understood as an initial indication. You can obtain accurate information from your treating doctor.

Laboratory values encyclopaedia – are my blood values normal?

Your doctor has performed a blood test and given you the results – but you still have some questions or didn’t quite understand everything during the consultation? Our overview of laboratory values from A to Z explains the most important blood values. However, before you let your test results unsettle you, please consider the following information:

• In laboratory diagnostics, there are normal values for individual blood values, which can be used to identify deviations above or below the norm. The normal range is not the same for everyone, but also depends on the age and gender of the patient, as well as other factors.
• Values that deviate from the norm do not necessarily indicate a disease. For example, the leukocyte value is often elevated in pregnant women and smokers, as well as when taking certain medications.
• Furthermore, some laboratory values fluctuate depending on the time of day and season. Therefore, consult your doctor if you have any questions about your blood count.