Test Details & Preparation

• White Blood Cell Differential test is done to help determine the cause of abnormal results on a WBC count to help diagnose or monitor an illness affecting your immune system, such as an infection or inflammatory condition, or cancers that affect your white blood cells, such as leukaemia.


• White Blood Cell Differential test is performed when you have a routine health examination when results of a CBC fall outside the reference range when you have any number of signs and symptoms that may be related to a condition affecting white blood cells, such as infection, inflammation, or cancer when you have a condition or are receiving treatment that is known to affect WBCs.


• A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm or by a finger-stick (children and adults) or heel-stick (infants) for a white blood cell differential test.


• No test preparation is required for a white blood cell differential test.


• Results of a white blood cell differential test are usually reported as absolute values of the five types of WBCs or may be reported as a percent of the total number of WBCs. Absolute values are calculated by multiplying the total number of WBCs by the percentage of each type of white cell.


• Neutrophils typically make up the highest number of WBC, followed by lymphocytes, then monocytes, eosinophils and basophils.