Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Comprehensive panel measuring red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and differential count. Used to diagnose anaemia, infections, bleeding disorders, polycythaemia, and haematological malignancies like leukaemia and lymphoma. One of the most frequently ordered diagnostic tests worldwide.
Haemoglobin (Hb)
Measures concentration of haemoglobin in blood to detect and monitor anaemia, polycythaemia, and response to iron, B12, or folate therapy. Essential for pre-surgical screening, pregnancy anaemia monitoring, and chronic disease management such as CKD and thalassaemia carriers.
Peripheral Blood Smear (PBS)
Microscopic examination of stained blood cells to identify abnormal morphology including sickle cells, target cells, blast cells, hypersegmented neutrophils, and malarial parasites. Critical for diagnosing haemolytic anaemias, thalassaemia, megaloblastic anaemia, and haematological malignancies such as CML, AML, and CLL.
ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
Measures rate at which red blood cells settle over one hour. Elevated ESR is a non-specific marker of systemic inflammation, infection, autoimmune disease, and malignancy. Commonly used to monitor disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, multiple myeloma, and temporal arteritis.
Reticulocyte Count
Counts immature red blood cells to assess bone marrow erythropoietic activity. Elevated in haemolytic anaemia, acute blood loss, and post-treatment recovery. Low in aplastic anaemia and pure red cell aplasia. Differentiates hypoproliferative from hyperproliferative anaemias and monitors response to treatment.
Platelet Count
Measures number of platelets per microlitre of blood. Thrombocytopenia (low platelets) is seen in dengue fever, ITP, DIC, and bone marrow suppression causing increased bleeding risk. Thrombocytosis occurs in iron deficiency anaemia, infection, and myeloproliferative disorders such as essential thrombocythaemia.
Prothrombin Time (PT / INR)
Evaluates extrinsic and common coagulation pathway including factors I, II, V, VII, and X. Reported as INR to standardise results across laboratories. Used to monitor warfarin anticoagulant therapy, assess hepatic synthetic function in cirrhosis, and screen for bleeding disorders such as factor VII deficiency.
aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time)
Evaluates intrinsic coagulation pathway including factors VIII, IX, XI, and XII. Used to monitor unfractionated heparin therapy, diagnose haemophilia A (factor VIII deficiency) and haemophilia B (factor IX deficiency), and investigate lupus anticoagulant or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
D-Dimer
Fibrin degradation product elevated when clots form and dissolve within blood vessels. Primary test to rule out deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in low-to-moderate probability patients. Also elevated in DIC, COVID-19 coagulopathy, sepsis, pregnancy, and post-surgical states requiring clinical correlation.