Extensive Puhti laboratory package (men) is a great choice when you want to gain more thorough information about the well-being of your body. The Puhti laboratory package will help you check how your body is doing and make better choices for your health. Several tests are included, such as cholesterol, blood glucose, important vitamins, ferritin and testosterone.
Basic blood count (B -PVK+T)
Basic blood count is a study comprising several component examinations. It measures the blood hemoglobin concentration and calculates blood cells: white blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). Additionally, indices describing red blood cells are calculated.
Basic blood count
- Basic blood count examination is used in investigating anemia and overall health status.
- Anemia can be diagnosed by the hemoglobin value included in the basic blood count.
- Basic blood count consists of several component examinations.
- The majority of Puhti’s ready-made laboratory packages include the basic blood count examination.
What does PVK mean?
PVK stands for “perusverenkuva” in Finnish, which translates to basic blood count in English. You can identify the examination by the code B -PVK+T. In the abbreviation of the blood test, B refers to whole blood, and T means that the examination also includes the count of platelets (B-Tromb).
PVK is a laboratory test performed on a venous blood sample, providing information about the blood cells and related values of the individual being tested. The examination includes the counting of white blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes), among other parameters such as indices describing red blood cells. You can find a more detailed information below.
The basic blood count provides important information about the individual’s health status and potential diseases. Results may sometimes suggest need for further investigations.
In what situations is PVK examined?
The basic blood count provides a comprehensive overview of health status. Blood count is examined when information about the condition of blood cells, namely white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, as well as the amount of hemoglobin, is desired.
Blood cells play a crucial role in human well-being, as they are responsible for, among other things, transporting oxygen in the body and immune defense.
Changes in blood count need to be investigated in situations such as:
- anemia
- bleeding
- hemolysis (accelerated breakdown of red blood cells)
- bleeding disorders
- infections
- chronic diseases
How does PVK differ from TVK?
PVK differs from TVK, or a complete blood count, based on the number of component examinations measured. TVK is a broader examination. Complete blood count includes, in addition to the basic blood count tests, a differential count of white blood cells.
The differential count of leukocytes, or white blood cells, determines the quantity of different types of white blood cells in the blood. The count measures both the absolute numbers of cells and their percentages. Differential counting is necessary when the number of white blood cells is significantly increased.
There are usually five different types of white blood cells in the blood: neutrophils (L-Neut), eosinophils (L-Eos), basophils (L-Baso), monocytes (L-monos), and lymphocytes (L-Ly).
What does a basic blood count include?
The examination consists of several tests. A blood count includes the following tests:
- B-Hb: Blood hemoglobin concentration
- B-Eryt: Number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood
- E-MCH: Mean corpuscular hemoglobin of red blood cells
- E-MCV: Mean corpuscular volume of red blood cells
- E-RDW: Red cell distribution width
- B-Hkr: Hematocrit, the volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood
- (f)B-Leuk: Number of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the blood
- B-Tromb: Number of platelets (thrombocytes)
More detailed information of the blood count
Hemoglobin (B-Hb)
Hemoglobin (Hb) is an iron-containing oxygen-binding protein. Hemoglobin constitutes one-third of red blood cells, and its primary function is to transport oxygen along with red blood cells. Its concentration is expressed in grams per liter (g/l) in Finland.
If the hemoglobin level is below the reference range, the condition is referred to as anemia.
High hemoglobin levels may result from conditions such as hypovolemia (a condition in which the volume of circulating blood in the body is decreased), polycythemia (a condition in which the number of red blood cells per volume unit is increased), chronic hypoxia, or smoking.
Usually, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count are interrelated, and their changes are usually consistent with each other.
Hematocrit (B-Hkr)
Hematocrit (Hkr) is the relative proportion of red blood cells in the total volume of blood. Changes in hematocrit values typically follow changes in hemoglobin.
Hematocrit values are used, for example, to diagnose excessive red blood cell counts, known as polycythemia. Polycythemia can result from blood, lung, or heart diseases, or temporary reasons such as staying in high-altitude areas.
Red blood cell count (B-Eryt)
B-Eryt indicates the quantity of red blood cells per liter of blood. It is used in calculating the so-called “red blood cell indices” when further investigating the causes of anemia.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (E-MCH)
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin) indicates how much hemoglobin is contained within one red blood cell. The unit used is picograms (pg). One picogram is 0.000000000001 grams.
MCH value is used in investigating anemia. MCH value is lower than normal in cases of hypochromic anemia. In this type of anemia, the amount of hemoglobin has decreased proportionally more than the number of red blood cells.
Mean Corpuscular Volume (E-MCV)
The term used for mean corpuscular volume is MCV, which stands for mean corpuscular volume in English. It denotes the average volume of red blood cells measured in femtoliters (fl). One femtoliter is 0.000000000000001 liters.
MCV can help determine the causes of anemia. Anemia is classified as microcytic if the MCV value is lower than the reference range. Anemia is classified as macrocytic if the MCV value is higher than the reference range, and normocytic if the MCV value is within the reference range. Classification can help determine the cause of anemia.
Factors that can affect MCV values include thalassemias, alcoholism, chemotherapy, vitamin B12 deficiency, and folic acid deficiency.
White Blood Cells (fB-Leuk)
White blood cells, or leukocytes, primarily act as defenders against various infections in the body. The fB-Leuk test reports the total number of white blood cells in the blood.
The body increases the production of white blood cells, especially in bacterial infections. In such cases, the white blood cell count in the blood increases. Increased white blood cell count is called leukocytosis. Slightly elevated values are common. Factors such as pregnancy, physical or psychological stress, meals, smoking, or cortisone therapy may raise values. In many types of leukemia, the number of white blood cells increases significantly.
Decreased white blood cell count is called leukopenia. Some viral diseases may decrease the number of white blood cells. In rare bone marrow diseases, the number of white blood cells may drop very low. Many cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, may temporarily reduce the number of white blood cells.
Platelets (B-Tromb)
Platelets, or thrombocytes, participate in blood clotting events.
A too low platelet count, thrombocytopenia, makes bleeding from the nose and elsewhere in the body easier than usual. Platelets may decrease for various reasons. Platelet levels may be lowered by many medications, liver diseases, heavy alcohol consumption, and numerous rare bone marrow diseases.
Platelet count can increase in many situations without there being an actual disease. Platelet count may increase, for example, in acute bleeding events, during inflammatory diseases, or in iron deficiency anemia.
Extremely high platelet levels may indicate bone marrow disease. High values also increase the risk of blood clots.
Red Cell Distribution Width (E-RDW)
RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width) describes the variation in red blood cell size. Under normal circumstances, red blood cells are relatively uniform in size, resulting in a low RDW. Higher than normal variation in size occurs in certain anemias and other diseases.
Reference values for basic blood count (B-PVK+T)
| Examination | Men | Women | Unit |
| B-Leuk | 3,4-8,2 | 3,4-8,2 | E9/l |
| B-Eryt | 4,3-5,7 | 3,9-5,2 | E12/l |
| B-Hb | 134-167 | 117-155 | g/l |
| B-HKR | 39-50 | 35-46 | % |
| E-MCV | 82-98 | 82-98 | fl |
| E-MCH | 27-33 | 27-33 | % |
| B-Trom | 150-360 | 150-360 | E9/l |
| E-RDW | under 14 | under 15 | % |
Reference levels may vary depending on the laboratory and the test analysis method. Puhti samples are taken and analysed at the laboratories of Mehiläinen.
How can I get a blood count examination?
You can order a basic blood count from Puhti’s online store here.
Additionally, the basic blood count is included in Puhti’s ready-made laboratory packages:
- Puhti laboratory package
- Extensive Puhti laboratory package (women)
- Extensive Puhti laboratory package (men)
Through Puhti, you can access all tests without a referral.
If you suspect illness, experience symptoms, or wish to discuss the results with a doctor, please contact a doctor yourself. Doctor’s analysis of the results is not automatically included in the test packages.
If necessary, you can separately order a remote consultation with a Mehiläinen doctor (€64.90) directly from Puhti’s result report after the tests.
Extensive Puhti laboratory package (women) is a great choice when you want to gain more thorough information about the well-being of your body. The laboratory package will help you check how your body is doing and make better choices for your health. Several tests are included, such as cholesterol, blood glucose, vitamins D and B12, ferritin, and sodium.
99,00 €
Puhti laboratory package includes many different tests that give you a wide range of information on how your body is doing. It includes blood count, cholesterol, blood glucose, vitamin D, ferritin, inflammatory status and tests of the functioning of the thyroid gland, liver and kidneys.
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Article updated:
12 July 2024