Complete Blood Count (CBC) in Spanish

What it means

A complete blood count, or CBC, is a group of blood tests that measure the number and size of the different cells in the blood. A CBC measures red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body; white blood cells, which fight infections and other diseases; and platelets, which stop bleeding by helping blood to clot. It also measures hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells; hematocrit, the amount of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells; and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), the average size of the red blood cells. A complete blood count is often part of a routine checkup. Other names MedlinePlus gives for it are full blood count and blood cell count.

Complete Blood Count (CBC) in Spanish

Spanish term: Biometría hemática completa
Gender and article: feminine: la biometría hemática completa
Pronunciation: byoh-meh-TREE-ah eh-MAH-tee-kah kohm-PLEH-tah

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
conteo sanguíneo completo	General	The name MedlinePlus en español uses as the title of its page on this test.
recuento sanguíneo completo	General	The headword in the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary; MedlinePlus en español lists it among the other names of the test.
hemograma completo	General	Listed by MedlinePlus en español among the other names of the test; its encyclopedia article opens with the shorter form hemograma.
cuadro hemático	General	Given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name for recuento sanguíneo completo.
CSC	General	Abbreviation of conteo sanguíneo completo used by MedlinePlus en español.

Spanish-language health sources use several names for this one test. Biometría hemática completa, with the abbreviation BHC, appears in a MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia article about another subject, in a list of exams that may be done. MedlinePlus en español titles its own page on the test conteo sanguíneo completo, abbreviates it CSC, and lists recuento sanguíneo completo and hemograma completo as other names. Its encyclopedia article begins with un hemograma o conteo sanguíneo completo (CSC).

The National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary enters the test as recuento sanguíneo completo and says it is also called cuadro hemático, hemograma, recuento de células sanguíneas completo, recuento sanguíneo and RSC. The abbreviation therefore changes with the name: BHC, CSC or RSC in Spanish, and CBC in English. Biometría is feminine, as the adjectives hemática and completa show, while conteo, recuento and hemograma are written with the masculine article un in these sources.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	I am going to order a complete blood count as part of your checkup.	Voy a pedirle una biometría hemática completa como parte de su chequeo.
Patient	What does a complete blood count measure?	¿Qué mide una biometría hemática completa?
Clinician	It counts your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.	Cuenta sus glóbulos rojos, sus glóbulos blancos y sus plaquetas.
Patient	My lab order says CBC. Is that the same test as a hemograma?	Mi orden de laboratorio dice CBC. ¿Es la misma prueba que un hemograma?
Patient	Do I need to fast before the blood sample is taken?	¿Tengo que ayunar antes de que me tomen la muestra de sangre?
Clinician	We will take a small blood sample from a vein in your arm.	Le tomaremos una pequeña muestra de sangre de una vena del brazo.
Patient	When will the results be ready, and who will explain them to me?	¿Cuándo estarán listos los resultados, y quién me los va a explicar?
Clinician	Your hemoglobin and your hematocrit are on this line of the report.	Su hemoglobina y su hematocrito están en esta línea del informe.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Spanish (Español)	Biometría hemática completa
Chinese (中文)	全血細胞計數
Korean (한국어)	전혈구검사
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Xét nghiệm công thức máu toàn phần
Filipino (Tagalog)	Kumpletong Bilang ng Dugo
Portuguese (Português)	Hemograma completo
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	การตรวจนับเม็ดเลือดสมบูรณ์
Japanese (日本語)	全血球計算

Where you'll see it

lab reportchartdischarge summary

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Blood and immune system

All terms in this area: Blood and immune system — Sangre y sistema inmunitario

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.